China's first 'sea airship' completes sea test
- By Li Jingrong
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E-mail China.org.cn, April 4, 2014
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| China's first commercial "sea airship," Xiangzhou 1, floats on the water in Sanya, Hainan province. Xiangzhou 1 received its airworthiness certification from China's Classification Society on Thursday and will soon be put into commercial use. [Photo/Xinhua] |
Developed by the No. 702 Research Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, Xiangzhou 1 is a "sea skimmer" or ground effect vehicle (GEV). Equipped with wings and a propeller similar to those found on airplanes, it has an average speed of 140-160 kilometers per hour, with the maximum speed reaching 210 kilometers per hour.
Xiangzhou 1 is 12.7 meters long, 11 meters wide and 3.9 meters high. Its cabin has four rows of seats for seven passengers, and features two doors used for access and emergency evacuation.
Cai Daming, secretary of the Party committee of the No. 702 Research Institute, said that the 2.5-tonne vessel can fly up to 50 meters above the water, with a water take-off range of 500 meters. "The sea is its runway and it can take off and land at any time and any place," he said.
Dong Zushun, professor at the Naval University of Engineering, explained that the ground effect is an extra lift generated by airfoils moving close to a solid surface and allowing the ship to literally sail above the water or any other fixed surface.
Apart from speed, GEVs are virtually immune to waves and are highly maneuverable, making them ideal for multiple purposes including rescue work and transportation.
Senior researchers are enthusiastic that Xiangzhou 1 will represent the vanguard of GEV technology and will go on to have numerous civilian and commercial applications.
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