Two Y-20 large transport aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force fly in formation. Photo: Courtesy of Aviation Industry Corporation of China

A Y-20A transport aircraft opened its cabin for public tours on Tuesday at Airshow China 2024 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province. A Global Times reporter found that the cabin is clean, bright, and with spacious interior. During personnel transport missions, the cabin can even convert into a double-decker layout.

The Y-20 debuted on November 11, 2014, at the 10th Airshow China, quickly becoming a star attraction. During the Airshow China 2024, the Y-20 opened its cabin for public tours for the first time, providing an opportunity for the public to have close contact with it.

The entire cabin of the Y-20A is systematically divided into four main areas based on its specific mission requirements: parachuting, medical care, cargo transport, and personnel transport.

Specifically, in the parachuting area, the seats are arranged back-to-back. The design allows for quick parachuting operations from both the left and right side doors as well as the cargo door. 

The medical care area consists of multi-layer portable stretchers arranged in double rows, significantly enhancing space utilization and enabling rapid and efficient transport of injured personnel.

The cargo transport area is primarily used for transporting rescue supplies and other goods. 

The seating arrangement resembles that of a commercial passenger aircraft in the personnel transport area.

In addition, folding chairs are installed on both sides of the inner walls of the cabin, making full use of the space.

The four modes can be switched at any time according to task requirements, allowing for modular assembly based on needs. For example, when carrying out humanitarian rescue missions overseas, the cabin needs to accommodate rescue supplies. Depending on the volume of the supplies, the spacing of the sliding tracks on the floor can be adjusted to securely fix the supplies on the cargo pallets. 

The Y-20A is China's new-generation large, multi-role military transport aircraft. It features a long range, high load capacity, and swift speed, enabling it to conduct various long-distance strategic airlift missions for personnel and supplies.

On July 6, 2016, the Y-20 officially joined the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, marking a major advancement in the PLA Air Force's strategic airlift capabilities, according to Xinhua.

Since entering service eight years ago, the Y-20 has performed a wide range of missions, from disaster relief to repatriating the remains of Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers. 

The Y-20's operational reach extends across Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania, fostering connections with communities worldwide. The Y-20 now stands as a symbol of the PLA Air Force's dedication to bolstering its strategic capabilities.

Since entering service, the Y-20 has carried out several overseas humanitarian rescue missions. In January 2022, two Y-20s delivered critical disaster relief supplies to Tonga in response to its call for volcanic disaster assistance with volcanic disaster relief.

Y-20 is officially nicknamed "Kunpeng," a mythical bird that could fly vast distances.