Nanchang CJ6 civilian training aircraft model

The CJ-6 aircraft, independently developed by Jiangxi Aviation Industry Group Co., Ltd., is China's first aircraft. It began design in July 1957 and was finalized in January 1962. The aircraft is used for selecting pilots and providing basic training at aviation schools. To date, nearly 3,000 aircraft have been delivered, accumulating over 10 million flight hours. Known as the' cradle of Chinese pilots, 'it has been designated as the' pilot's first aircraft.' On February 2, 2019, the CJ-6 aircraft received its type certificate, making it the first aircraft in China to complete the transition from military to civilian certification.

NANCHANG CJ-5/CJ-6
Built under license in China, the basic Yak-18 was known as the Nanchang CJ-5. Produced at the Nanchang Aircraft Factory from 1954 through 1958, the design showed deficiencies for jet pilot training that led the Chinese to independently revise the basic Yak-18 design to feature a retractable undercarriage, with the main gear folding inward toward the fuselage, and the nose wheel retracting backward into the fuselage. The wings were revised to have prominent dihedral, but, like the Soviet Yak-18A redesign, the CJ-6 retained the 145hp M-11ER radial engine with similarly disappointing results when it first flew in 1958. Revised power, in the form of an Ivchenko AI-14R engine, didn't solve the problem, which called for further redesign of the aircraft. Finally, in 1961, an improved CJ-6A gained approval and was produced beginning in 1962 using a 285hp Quzhou Huosai HS6A engine. More than 1,800 CJ-6As were produced, including those exported to nations such as Albania, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Tanzania and Zambia under the designation BT-6. An armed version, the CJ-6B, was produced between 1964 and 1966, equipped with a 300-hp HS-6D engine, according to some sources.

As of 2007, the Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company was still manufacturing the CJ-6G, a modernized version featuring such improvements as increased power, a strengthened fuselage structure, bigger fuel tanks, and other modifications.

More than 10,000 of all types are believed to have been produced. Both the Yak-18 and the Nanchang CJ-6 have become popular with pilots worldwide who appreciate the sturdy

Specifications (CJ-6A):
        Engine: One 285-hp Quzhou Huosai-6A HS6A radial piston engine
        Weight: Empty 2,200 lbs., Max Takeoff 3,080 lbs.
        Wing Span: 33.4 ft.
        Length: 27.75 ft.
        Height: 10.7 ft.
        Performance:
            Maximum Speed: 230 mph
            Ceiling: 17,000 ft.
            Range: 450 miles
        Armament: None

Number Built: 2,000+ (CJ-6/6A); 10,600+ (All models and variants)