Airship completes sightseeing test

A prototype of the AS700 multipurpose civilian airship conducted a test flight on Thursday to demonstrate its potential in aerial sightseeing, according to State-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China, the nation's leading aircraft maker.

It took off from Jingmen Zhanghe Airport in Hubei province at 9:19 am and landed at the same airport after staying airborne for nearly two hours.

During the test flight, two pilots operated the airship as it flew about 500 meters above several scenic sites at a speed of 60 kilometers per hour, AVIC said in a news release.