China's first five-seater airplane has rolled off the production line recently.

The plane, named AC500 and known as the "air car," was jointly developed by Nanjing Light Aircraft Co., Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, both based in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, and the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group. The plane was manufactured in Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province, where Hongdu is based.

The plane can fly 1,000 km non-stop, with a maximum speed of 250 km per hour.

The 8.14-meter-long aircraft is designed for a variety of purposes like business travel, scientific experiments and mineral exploration.

It can also be used for patrolling, monitoring forests, rapid mail delivery, first aid, and advertising, a Hongdu source said.

According to the source, the plane will be on display at an international airshow in the port city of Zhuhai in south China's Guangdong Province November 6-12.

(Xinhua 10/26/2000)