Graduating from flying college
in June 2001, the seventh generation of women
pilots were assigned to the division and began
to fly transport planes. To speed up their
transition from a flying college student to
a qualified pilot in the air force, they began
night flight training as soon as they had
finished daytime training subjects according
to the new military training outline.
The night flight training
this time was to train taking off and landing
ability of the green hands. In about one hour's
flight, each woman pilot was going to land
6 times successively.
The plane got ready to land
after keeping level flight for a few minutes
at 400-meter high. Grasping the control stick
tightly, the pilot Chen Jinlan adjusted frequently
the descending speed of the plane. The navigator
looked rather serious. He looked at the landmark
under the plane every now and then, and reminded
the crew of the position of the plane. Through
the plane's windscreen of the cockpit, two
orange light lines drew the runway clearly.
The plane was descending gradually towards
the runway.
With a strained look, Chen
Jinlan pulled the stick with both hands. However,
a strong power pushed forward, she could not
pull it at all. When the two back wheels touched
the ground, the plane "dumped" heavily in
the rear. Apparently she lacked some experience
on her first night flight.
Without a word, Chen Jinlan
start her another flight and the plane took
off again. Twelve minutes later, the plane
began her second landing. Chen prepared methodically
in the darkness.
The crew reported the commander
of the control tower, "206 requests for landing."
The commander ordered, "If everything is ready,
land please." 400 meter, 200 meter, 100 meter,
80 meter, the hand of the altimeter moved
upward bit by bit . The plane approached the
ground nearer and nearer ´ With a sharp howl,
the plane touched the runway steadily.
Sincere praise by the commander
was heard through the earphone, "206, well-done!"
When the plane was being pulled up again,
Chen Jinlan smiled confidently.
By Wang Weizhong, Shen Ling
and Ding Yanli
(August 5, PLA Daily)