Fengling, China's first light sport aircraft with proprietary intellectual property rights, prepares for take-off at Lin-gang Air Camp on Oct 23. [Photo/WeChat account: shlgguanweihui]

The Fengling, an amphibious light sport aircraft, took off from Lin-gang Air Camp at 1:50 pm on Oct 23 and landed smoothly at Chenghu Lake Aerodrome in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, marking a new breakthrough in Shanghai's general aviation manufacturing industry.

Fengling is China's first light sport aircraft with proprietary intellectual property rights, as well as an airworthiness certificate and a production license issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

After taking off from Lin-gang Air Camp, the Fengling flew over Jinshan, Songjiang and Qingpu districts and Dianshan Lake. An hour later, it arrived at Chenghu Lake Aerodrome in Suzhou. The 120-kilometer flight was a milestone in Shanghai's general aviation manufacturing industry, greatly propelling Lin-gang Special Area's exploration in low-altitude flights.

The Fengling only needs the most accessible gasoline No 95 or 98, avoiding the difficulty of buying aviation gasoline. With a single refueling of 90 liters, it can fly 1,000 km.

The fuselage is made of carbon fiber composite molds. In such aspects as pneumatic efficiency, structural design, manufacturing process and quality control, the plane is globally advanced.

The Fengling can take off and land on both land and water. The wings are foldable, and the fuselage can be towed and moved by a car. Unlike conventional aircraft, the plane does not need a runway for take-off and landing.

With different equipment, the Fengling can be used in flight training, private flights, police work, medical aid, disaster relief, the fishery industry, oil and geological exploration, and coastguard work.