China's first fully independently developed advanced civil turboshaft engine - the AES100 - has obtained its production license and secured a sales contract. This marks its transition from the design and development phase to mass production, laying the foundation for its entry into the market and promoting the development of low-altitude equipment, according to a press release on the WeChat account of the Aero Engine Corp of China (AECC).
'The awarding of this license signals China's capability to independently develop and produce advanced civil turboshaft engines. The country has formed a complete domestic supply chain and industrial chain for such engines, which is important for the scaled application of the AES100 engine, advancing the low-altitude economy, and supporting the development of the general aviation industry,' Li Gaiqi, chief designer of the AES100 engine, said at a meeting on the research and development of the engine held in Zhuzhou, Central China's Hunan Province on Thursday.
On the same day, AECC and United Aircraft Group signed AES100 engine sales and lease contracts, with deliveries scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026. The AES100 engine will serve as the core power unit of the 6-ton tiltrotor aircraft - Lanying R6000, powering it in functions involving large commercial payloads, long-range operations, and adaptability to complex environments, AECC said.
The AES100 engine is China's first fully independently developed, advanced civil turboshaft engine that meets international standards and is mainly employed in civil helicopters, making breakthroughs in more than 200 key technologies. The engine features the advantages of high reliability, low fuel consumption and convenient maintenance, and it is suitable for a wide range of applications, it said.
The takeoff power of the turboshaft engine AES100 is no less than 1,000kW, and it can be installed on a 5- to 6-ton twin-engine helicopter or a 3- to 4-ton single-engine helicopter or a tiltrotor aircraft, with tasks including transportation, sightseeing, patrol or rescue.
The AES100 turboshaft engine successfully completed rigorous ice tests involving airplane engines in January 2024, and received its type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in August 2024.
