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China unveils homemade AC313 large civilian helicopter
China's first domestically developed civilian helicopter has completed a successful maiden flight in Jingdezhen, in the eastern province of Jiangxi.
The heavy-lift AC313 helicopter, built by the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), can carry 27 passengers or up to 13.8 tonnes.
It is designed to be used for rescue missions in earthquakes, typhoons and other natural disasters.
It is the latest advance for the country's ambitious aerospace industry.
At last month's Singapore Air Show, Beijing unveiled the Comac C919 aircraft - China's answer to the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, which should be available commercially by 2016.
The AC313 has a maximum range of 900km (560 miles), the state-run China Daily reported on its website.
Its test flight - broadcast live on China Central Television on Thursday - was hailed as a "breakthrough in domestic aviation technology", it added.
Source: BBC News - China unveils homemade AC313 large civilian helicopter
Posted this article when it first came out and I made the point that such an helicopter would have been a valuable asset during the 2005 earthquake.
Given this will also be displayed at the 2010 Zuhai Airshow I suggest the Pakistani delegation going make a few enquires or even an order!