"Chinese people can't fly third-generation aircraft"? The 25th anniversary of the first flight of the J-10, the details behind it are revealed

March 23, 1998

When the J-10 completed its first flight and landed safely on the runway

The crowd was boiling!

The Chinese rely on their own strength

Realized the transition from second generation to third generation

A historic leap!

Image source: CCTV Military Official Weibo

Recalling the moment of the J-10's first flight

The test pilot Lei Qiang was full of excitement:

The successful development of the J-10

Not only has China increased

An important aerial weapon

In addition, our country has also established a complete

Modern fighter aircraft research and development system

It also led to the growth of an aviation technology team

Today, let's listen

Behind the J-10's maiden flight

Those untold stories...

First sight: Stunning, but "Chinese people can't fly"

“The first time I saw the J-10

To be precise, it is a wooden prototype of the J-10.

5 years before the first flight

My first impression of this aircraft was

The appearance is very modern and the lines are very smooth

But when I sat in the cockpit and looked

I will tell Mr. Song

(Song Wencong, then chief designer of the J-10)

'We can't fly this plane.' "

Lei Qiang recalled

Although an Air Force test pilot

But at that time, Chinese test pilots

I have never seen a control system like the J-10.

In addition, the J-10

More than 60% of the technologies are newly developed

The development team is worried:

Can the pilot accept this situation?

to this end

18 of the nation's top air force pilots were selected

Finally, three pilots including Lei Qiang passed the test.

Going abroad to learn the test flight methods of third-generation aircraft

Lei Qiang said:

“At that time, foreigners said

Chinese people cannot fly third-generation aircraft

But once on the simulator

Our pilots fly very well in all subjects!"

Desperate: Take risks, "fly according to delivery status"

Lei Qiang still remembers

Just for the development of fly-by-wire flight control system

The J-10 team has been working tirelessly for more than four years.

Those Years

Lei Qiang was deeply involved in the design and test flight work

Close exchanges of ideas with the design team...

All this

All of these laid a solid foundation for the subsequent success of the J-10

Preparations for the J-10's maiden flight

Lei Qiang and his R&D team are far more than that

Since the J-10 fighter adopts a canard layout design

Statically unstable aircraft

If the fly-by-wire system fails

The aircraft cannot be safely flown with the mechanical backup system

Previously, in order to reduce the risk

Other advanced aviation countries are developing such aircraft.

The aircraft will be trimmed to a static stable state for the first flight

But if this happens, the test flight cycle will inevitably be extended.

How should the J-10 fly?

Song Wencong decided to respect the test pilot's opinion

He asked Lei Qiang:

"What do you think? Fly or not?"

Lei Qiang said without hesitation: "Of course it will fly! " ****

"Now fly according to the static instability

At most I take some risks.

But it can save a year.”

Prepare for the first flight according to the static instability state

"What is the status of the J-10 delivered to the troops?

I just fly in whatever state I’m in.”

First flight: Excited, "This is a real fighter "

March 23, 1998, cloudy

Visibility is about 3 km

Cloud base height about 500 meters

Far from ideal first flight conditions

But after discussing with the test flight team

Lei Qiang decided:

No ideal weather conditions

Fly today!

"Xiao Lei, are you really not nervous?"

Lei Qiang said "Don't be nervous"

But I saw many people wiping tears

Lei Qiang said

"Don't worry, Mr. Song, as long as the engine is still running

Didn't explode in the air

I'll throw you onto the runway.

Let us know where we have gone wrong over the past decade."

Enter the runway, taxi out, take off...

The J-10 strikes like a fierce dragon and soars into the sky

“Flexible, so flexible!

At that time, there was a J-5 fighter jet accompanying the J-10.

I was afraid that the plane was too agile and would lose the J-5 trainer! "

Lei Qiang recalled

Six months after the successful first flight

Lei Qiang saw a photo recording the first flight of the J-10

A little dissatisfied, he said:

“This photo is not taken well

Now the whole nation knows about it.

This soldier was so scared that he started crying."

Then Lei Qiang laughed again and said:

“I’m actually excited

Later, a military commander asked me

"Xiao Lei, how's the plane?"

I said, 'That's a real fighter! '"

Xinhua News Agency photo, Guangzhou, November 7, 2018

20 years after the J-10 fighter jet's first flight, this was the first public appearance of the first test pilot Lei Qiang.

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Fang

Today, the J-10 family continues to grow

Becoming the Air Force's strategic transformation

One of the main aircraft models equipped with large-scale troops

Image source: CCTV Military Official Weibo

today

25th anniversary of the successful first flight of the J-10

Happy birthday!

Source: Science and Technology Daily, CCTV Military, Aviation Industry, all unmarked images are from Aviation Industry