China's first electric plane completes its maiden flight

The RX1E-A, a two-seater aircraft, is designed by Shenyang Aerospace University

China's first electric plane completed its maiden flight in Shenyang, capital of the country's Liaoning province.

The two-seater aircraft, the RX1E-A, designed by Shenyang Aerospace University, completed the task at around 3 pm at Caihu airport, China Daily reported.

It flew for  for two hours compared with about 45 minutes in an earlier attempt.

"The extended endurance of the plane will help it tap into markets in the United States and Europe," said Zou Haining, the deputy head of the Liaoning General Aviation Academy.



In addition, the improved aircraft is equipped with a new parachute that enables safe landing of both pilot and plane.

The RX1E-A. PHOTO COURTESY: China Daily

With a maximum speed of 160 km per hour, the aircraft can be used in pilot training, passenger transportation, tourism and aerial photography.

The mass production of the first-generation type, RX1E, started in early 2016.

According to Reuters, China has recently signed aircraft certification agreement with the United States - a move that is expected to boost US market access for Chinese-made planes and aircraft parts.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said in an e-mail to Reuters that an agreement it announced last month with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would widen “mutual recognition” of each country’s aviation products.

It comes as Chinese planemaker Commercial Aircraft Corp of China  seeks overseas certification for its C919 and ARJ-21 jets to sell more planes abroad. Europe’s aviation safety regulator said in April that it was in the process of certifying the C919.



The CAAC said the new agreement replaces a 1995 deal in which China had agreed to accept all U.S. aviation products but the United States had agreed to accept only 23 small Chinese aircraft models and some plane parts. The latest agreement fulfils a commitment both countries made in 2005 and follows several years of talks, according to both regulators.

“The newly signed Implementation Procedures for Airworthiness realizes the full reciprocal recognition of aviation products between China and the U.S. The scope of the agreement covers all types of aviation products and is meant to be comprehensive,” it said.