On April 4, the megawatt (MW)-class hydrogen-fuelled aviation turboprop engine AEP100, independently developed by AECC Academy of Aero-Engine Research, was installed on a 7.5 mt-class unmanned transport aircraft and successfully completed its maiden flight at Zhuzhou Lusong Airport. This marked the world's first flight test of a megawatt-class hydrogen-fuelled aviation turboprop engine, signifying a breakthrough in the development of green aviation propulsion in China.
The maiden flight proceeded smoothly throughout, with the engine operating normally and in good condition. The flight lasted a total of 16 minutes in the air, covering a distance of 36 kilometres at a speed of 220 kilometres per hour and an altitude of 300 metres above ground. The aircraft returned safely after successfully completing all scheduled flight test objectives, and the maiden flight mission was a complete success.
The successful maiden flight was of great significance. It not only achieved a leap from technology to engineering in China's independent development of megawatt-class hydrogen-fuelled aviation engines, but also signified that China had established the full technology chain in this field, from core components to complete engine integration. It verified the engineering reliability of the hydrogen fuel propulsion system's compatibility with the flight platform, laying a critical foundation for the subsequent industrialisation of hydrogen-powered aviation applications. This became an important milestone in China's transition of green aviation propulsion from technological exploration to engineering practice.
