China's AC352 helicopter enters final phase of airworthiness certification

BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The China-developed AC352 mid-sized utility helicopter has entered the flight-test phase of the airworthiness certification process, according to the China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC).

This marks the final step for the new helicopter model to acquire its airworthiness certificate from the civil aviation authorities, said the AVIC.

During this phase, the AC352 will carry out flight tests both to acquire its airworthiness certification and evaluate its functional reliability.

Civil aviation authorities will evaluate its performance, control quality and the working conditions of its onboard facilities, said the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Prior to the new phase, the AC352 had completed 458 flight tests carried out by its developer over 422.5 flight hours to verify the aircraft's performance.