China’s homegrown AES100 aircraft engine obtains production license, entering mass production

(Photo/Aero Engine Corporation of China website)

China's first fully independently-developed advanced civil turboshaft engine - the AES100 - has been awarded a production license and signed sales contracts. 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, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday, citing the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC).

Aviation engines are the "heart" of an aircraft. The turboshaft engine is primarily used in a variety of helicopters. 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, according to the report.

It can operate safely and stably under complex conditions such as icing, torrential rain, and a strong electromagnetic environment, featuring advantages of high reliability, low fuel consumption, convenient maintenance, and is suitable for a wide range of applications, per Xinhua.

The take-off power of the turboshaft engine AES100 is no less than 1000kW, and it can be installed on a 5-6 ton twin-engine helicopter or a 3-4 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 and airplane engine testing in January 2024, and received its type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in August 2024.