AVIC has delivered the first AS700 manned airship to a Guilin-based launch customer, as it secures a firm order for 12 more airships.
The first airship was handed to privately-owned Guangxi Guilin Fangzhou General Aviation at a delivery ceremony on 14 September.
The company says it intends to deploy the manned airship for aerial sightseeing tourist trips. The AS700 can take up to nine passengers with one pilot, according to AVIC.
The airship’s range is around 700km (378nm), at a speed of up to 100kmh (62mph).
Before its delivery, AVIC conducted a series of test flights as part of a 15-day trial, including a 1,000km sortie – lasting 13h – that crossed the three Chinese provinces of Hubei, Hunan and Guangxi.
At the delivery ceremony, AVIC scored orders for 12 more AS700s from Guangxi Guilin Fangzhou General Aviation. This is on top of AVIC’s existing commitments for 20 airships, says the airframer.
The AS700 received its type certification from Chinese regulators in 2023, about five years since developmental work began.
