The AC332 multirole helicopter takes off in its full form for the first time in Binhai New Area, North China's Tianjin Municipality on April 7, 2023. Photo: Fan Wei/GT

China's brand-new multirole helicopter, the AC332, successfully completed its first full-state flight in Binhai New Area, North China's Tianjin Municipality on Friday, with its developer saying that the aircraft will provide strong support for emergency rescue, transportation and general aviation needs from people in the country's vast plateau areas.

During the development of the AC332, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) focused on the urgent need for helicopters with excellent plateau performance, so it decided to independently develop a product with performance and operating costs comparable to those of advanced foreign counterparts and realize advantages in terms of its plateau performances, Ma Dequan, general manager of AVIC Tianjin Helicopter Co Ltd, told the Global Times on the sidelines of the helicopter's first flight.

The AC332 enjoys noticeable advantages in major performance parameters including plateau performance, maximum takeoff weight, maximum cruising speed, and maximum range, making it capable of carrying out multiple tasks in both plain and plateau regions, Ma said.

Its marketing price will be lower than its competitors' on international markets, and its operating and maintenance costs are also lower, making its overall advantages even more obvious, Ma said. 

This type of helicopter can be widely used in missions including search and rescue, law enforcement, plateau operations, maritime operations and others, according to Ma.

The AC332 is a four ton-class advanced twin-engine, single-rotor, multirole helicopter. It can carry 10 passengers and has a maximum takeoff weight of 3,850 kilograms, a maximum cruising speed of 260 kilometers an hour and a maximum range of 693 kilometers, the Global Times learned from its developer.

This also means that the AC332 can fly at an altitude of 6,000 meters for a range of 600 kilometers carrying a commercial load of 600 kilograms under takeoff conditions at an altitude of 4,500 meters, allowing the helicopter to operate with ease in plateau environments for general aviation transportation, medical aid and emergency rescue.

The AC332's rotor system has been improved to ensure greater efficiency in plateau operations, Li Shengwei, chief designer of the AC332, told the Global Times on Friday.

"Today's first flight showed the chopper's outstanding handling and maneuverability. It also has good comfort, low flight vibration and low noise," Li said.

The AC332 has three mission configurations: plateau transportation, search and rescue, and medical aid, so it will be developed into multiple variants. In the development of its general basic platform, the developers ensured that customization will be fast, convenient and easy to implement.

When the AC332 made its first full-state flight, the AVIC also signed purchase agreements and letters of intent for 24 helicopters of this type with its first customers.

The AC332 is expected to hold more test flights before receiving a type certificate by 2025, the Global Times learned.