China's Y-12F completes flight tests for airborne geo-prospecting

BEIJING — The China-developed Y-12F general aircraft has successfully completed flight tests on its airborne geophysical prospecting capabilities, its developer announced on Feb 9.

The time-domain Y-12F aircraft on Feb 6 completed flight tests on its airborne electromagnetic survey capacity, which fully verify its airborne geo-prospecting capabilities, said the China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC).

It marked a major achievement of the key national project using fixed-wing aircraft to conduct airborne geophysical prospecting. It will also boost the nation's development in this sector, the AVIC said.

The flight tests were conducted at an airport in Songyuan, in Northeast China's Jilin province.

During the flight tests totaling more than 30 hours, China's first fixed-wing airborne system for deep electromagnetic surveys was fully verified, said the Chinese plane-maker.

The aircraft conducted more than 50 flights and completed all flight test subjects lasting more than 100 days.

The flight tests were conducted by AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, AVIC Harbin General Aircraft Co Ltd, and the Institute of Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration, under the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences.

The time-domain Y-12F aircraft is part of the national project on inner-earth resources exploration.

Converted from a Y-12F, the team installed facilities for efficient and high-precision airborne, geophysical prospecting missions, the AVIC said.