Homemade civilian turboshaft engine gets bulk orders

Aero Engine Corp of China's new AES100 turboshaft engine, developed for civilian use, has been approved for mass production and has received its first orders, the company announced on Thursday.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China's Central and Southern Regional Administration issued the engine's production certificate to AECC South Industry at a conference in Zhuzhou, Hunan province. AECC South Industry, a subsidiary of AECC, specializes in small and mid-size aircraft engines.

At the same event, AECC signed sales and lease contracts with Shenzhen-based drone maker United Aircraft. Deliveries of the AES100 are planned before the end of next year.

According to United Aircraft, the AES100 will be used to power its Lanying R6000, a model of 6-metric-ton unmanned tiltrotor aircraft designed for cargo transportation, and is expected to promise the drone a large carrying capacity, long flight range and good operational flexibility.

Developed by the AECC Hunan Aviation Powerplant Research Institute in Zhuzhou, the AES100 is China's first domestically developed civilian-use turboshaft engine. It produces 1,000 kilowatts of power and meets international airworthiness standards. The engine received its type certificate from civil aviation authorities in August last year.

During development, engineers overcame more than 200 major technical challenges to ensure high safety, cost-effectiveness, easy maintenance and broad environmental adaptability, according to the company.

The AES100 can power single-and twin-engine helicopters weighing 3 to 6 tons, as well as tiltrotor aircraft, for missions including transportation, sightseeing, patrol, police operations and search and rescue.

"The issuance of the production certificate marks that China has acquired the capability to independently develop and produce advanced civil turboshaft engines, and has established a complete supply and manufacturing chain for such engines," said Li Gaiqi, chief designer of the AES100.

Li said the engine incorporates advanced technologies, materials and components and features high operational efficiency, low fuel consumption, and long service life.

Li Xin, deputy head of the institute, said the AES100 is aimed at tapping China's vast emerging general aviation and low-altitude economy markets. It can operate safely and be stable under challenging conditions such as low temperatures, torrential rain and strong electromagnetic interference.

Li added that the institute has also developed variants of the AES100. One of them, the AEP100, has been selected for the W5000, a large transportation drone by private Chinese aviation startup Air White Whale, which the company said is the world's largest transportation drone.