The AC312E helicopter -- the first light twin-engine civil chopper ever developed in China -- obtained the China Civil Aviation Administration certificate on Dec 31, giving it the necessary papers to enter the domestic civil aviation market.

The helicopter, which made its maiden flight in July 2016, was developed by AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

It can carry up to nine passengers, with a maximum takeoff weight of 4.25 metric tons and a maximum payload of 1.7 tons.

It can also take off at an airport to an altitude of 4,500 meters and cruise at an altitude of 5,000 meters, with a range of 500 kilometers.

The AC312E is installed with world-class Arriel 2H heli-engines, which gives it a strong performance in a plateau environment.

According to Li Shengwei, deputy chief designer of the aircraft, under these conditions it is superior to competitors in effective payload, range and endurance and it has more possibilities in space modification and higher transport efficiency.

To meet the demands of individual clients, the helicopter can be modified into four specialist models for emergency medical services, search and rescue, business transport and law enforcement, Li added.

Currently, seven orders have been placed from China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center and the public security bureaus of Harbin and Jinxiang. All the orders are scheduled to be delivered in 2020.

The developers said the successful introduction of the AC312E is another major achievement achieved by China's helicopter industry.

They said it was of great significance for driving helicopter technological progress and promoting the development of the helicopter industry, as well as further improving the competitiveness of the domestic helicopter market.
  The AC312E, the first light twin-engine civil helicopter ever developed in China, takes a plateau test flight in Lijiang in southwestern Yunnan province on Nov 20, 2017. [Photo/VCG]