The R6000 heavy convertiplane, developed by United Aircraft, successfully completed its first free flight on December 28 in China’s Sichuan Province.
This milestone represents significant progress for rotary-wing and tilt-wing aviation, because R6000 described by its developers as the world’s first heavy convertiplane.
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The test was conducted about a month after the prototype made its maiden flight in tethered conditions, when the aircraft remained tethered to the ground during an initial evaluation of systems and stability. The free flight confirmed the maturity of the design and the aircraft’s ability to operate independently without external constraints.
With a mass of around six tonnes, the R6000 is designed to carry a payload of up to two tonnes. In the manned version currently under development, the convertiplane will be capable of carrying up to ten passengers, expanding its potential use for both special missions and civil operations.
According to preliminary information, the R6000 is expected to be equipped with a Chinese-made AES-100 turboprop engine, as well as an intelligent control system designed to optimize safety, performance and operational efficiency in a wide range of mission profiles.
United Aircraft views the R6000 as a versatile and strategic platform, with planned applications including medical aviation, search and rescue operations, patrol, response to natural disasters, commercial transportation and air tourism.
The success of this first free flight underscores China’s ambition to expand its presence in the large vertical take-off and short-range landing aircraft segment.
Source and image: United Aircraft | Global Times, X @globaltimesnews | Avianews, Telegram @AviaCT. This content is created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
