Story ID: 
Chinese Tiltrotor Enters Flight Testing
By: Jennifer Meszaros
Caption: Observers believe the aircraft is being developed by Harbin Aircraft Industry Group
Word Count: 427
Newly released images of a Chinese-made tiltrotor indicate that the aircraft has started flight testing, with observers linking it to the Harbin Aircraft Industry Group (HAIG), a subsidiary of AVIC Helicopter. HAIG, which maintains a portfolio spanning airplanes and helicopters, previously partnered with Airbus Helicopters on the AC352 program.
One photo shows the aircraft in flight with rotors positioned vertically, indicating that it was operating in helicopter mode. It features a high-mounted straight wing with a driveshaft that allows one engine to power both rotors if the other fails. Like the Bell MV-75, only the rotors and gearboxes rotate, while the turboshaft engines remain fixed in wingtip nacelles. The aircraft has a cockpit access door, a separate cabin entry, retractable landing gear, and potentially a rear ramp for cargo loading.
Compared with Leonardo’s AW609 tiltrotor, which uses proprotors to control yaw, the Chinese aircraft relies on a conventional rudder. Observers note no flight test probe was visible, suggesting a flight with reduced instrumentation or a limited-envelope evaluation.
A second image shows two aircraft in a hangar—one with removed wing panels and exposed cabling, suggesting an ongoing system evaluation test program. Testing is believed to occur at HAIG’s Harbin Pingfang Airport in the Harbin Aviation complex used for manufacturing activities and test flights.
AVIC has neither confirmed the sightings nor released details, including whether the aircraft will enter production or serve chiefly as a technology testbed. The manufacturer previously displayed a similar model at airshows in 2022 and 2023, with the latter explicitly labeled for civilian use.
Meanwhile, on Chinese forums, users suggest that the aircraft incorporates components from the Z-9, Z-15, and Y-12, all of which have an mtow of 5 to 7 tons. A military observer noted that it likely uses domestic 1,350-shp AES100 turboshaft engines that feature single-crystal turbine blades and Fadec.
The AES100, developed by the Aero Engine Corp. of China (AECC), is designed for 3- to 6-ton helicopters and tiltrotors. In June, AECC received the production certificate for the AES100 in Hunan and signed sales and leasing agreements with United Aircraft. The engine will power United Aircraft’s six-ton-class Lan Ying R6000, slated for its first flight in helicopter mode this year, with deliveries starting in 2026.
HAIG marked its 77th anniversary last week. Observers hope the tiltrotor will appear during China’s military parade in Beijing on September 3, commemorating 80 years since the end of World War II with a wide array of military aircraft and equipment on display.