Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 120 You won't know how good you are until you push yourself.
Northwestern Polytechnical University, it's Northwestern Polytechnical University again!
With mixed feelings, everyone turned their heads and saw a young man. Without a doubt, it must be Qin Liang!

"Qin Liang, how can I accept this?" Professor Tu stood up. "Your Northwestern Polytechnical University has already helped us a lot. These eighteen projects were originally just imported products. The British wouldn't even provide the technical data. It was thanks to your technology-for-technology exchange that the British handed over the technology to us. You've already helped us enough!"

"Yes, our trip abroad was originally just about Lao Ba wanting to buy advanced Western avionics. I felt it wasn't right to let foreigners make money off us; we had to be able to produce it ourselves. It took a lot of effort to get the technology, but unfortunately... I was still too young."

Qin Liang said with a self-deprecating smile, "I thought that as long as I got the technology and it was in China, there would definitely be relevant units to help me overcome the difficulties and produce the equipment. I didn't expect... that they are all a bunch of people waiting to be fed by others! Back then, our Factory 132 didn't wait or rely on anyone. We made our way in on our own! Now... hehehehe."

He glanced at everyone present, his eyes filled with contempt. Trash, a bunch of unambitious trash!

"Back then, our country was extremely poor, but we tightened our belts and implemented the First Five-Year Plan, which transformed us from an agricultural country into an industrial country," Qin Liang said. "Now that we can all have enough to eat, we've lost the spirit of hard work and struggle from the past! We wait for funding from higher authorities for any project and dare not take any risks. Such enterprises will be eliminated sooner or later in the tide of the market economy!"

"Hmph, it's easy for you to talk when you're not in the situation!" Factory Director Wang said. "Take our Factory 117 for example. There are thousands of mouths to feed in the entire factory. Do we dare to take the risk? Can we afford to take the risk? What if we fail and lose money?"

"Yes, with funding from higher authorities, the income is guaranteed regardless of drought or flood. Who would want to venture into the market? So... you can just wait for the funding from higher authorities! Although Northwestern Polytechnical University is just a university, we also want to give it a try! We'll go to the bank, get a loan of five million, and produce these two pieces of equipment! Professor Tu, we at Northwestern Polytechnical University will take on this communications project!"

"No, you can't accept this! This aviation radio is originally a product of our Factory 918!" Director Duan said anxiously. "You Northwestern Polytechnical University have produced an advanced radio. Aren't you just taking away our Factory 918's livelihood? Our factory has thousands of employees who depend on aviation radios for their livelihood!"

"You yourselves don't dare borrow money for research and development, but Northwestern Polytechnical University wants to, and you won't let us?" Qin Liang rolled his eyes at the other party: "Where do you get this kind of power? Should we go to the capital and ask the higher-ups for a fair hearing?"

Director Duan's face flushed red and then turned pale.

“Old Duan, if you take on this project and raise your own funds for research and development, then the project will definitely remain yours. If you're not planning to take the risk, then we'll have no choice but to hand it over to Northwestern Polytechnical University,” Tu Lao said. “Otherwise, we can't bring back the technology we've worked so hard to negotiate, only to have it locked up in the archives and gather dust!”

"It's just a matter of raising funds ourselves, our Factory 918 will take it!" Director Duan gritted his teeth: "Aeronautical radio is our factory's main business, we absolutely cannot watch this kind of equipment fall into the hands of other factories and institutes!"

Old Master Tu was overjoyed. Good, it's done!

The beginning is always the hardest. Factory 918 was willing to raise its own funds for research and development, and the psychological defenses of other factories were slowly loosening!

"Then let's not work on communications. How about Northwestern Polytechnical University helps us with the radar altimeter?"

"Our Factory 117 will take on this product. We'll also get a loan of several million from the bank. I refuse to believe we can't make it!" Factory Director Wang said.

"Atmospheric data computer..."

"Old Tu, let's give this to our 081 base!"

No one knew just how important this meeting was; for the aviation industry's supporting enterprises in the East, it was a major earthquake!

Funding R&D with government grants is a thing of the past. Whoever wants a project must raise the funds themselves! Lying around waiting for handouts? That's a classic example of complacency and deserves criticism!

After the meeting, everyone stayed at Factory 132 for dinner. At the dinner table, everyone was holding wine glasses and frequently came to find Qin Liang.

"Everyone says that Northwestern Polytechnical University has first-class technology. If we encounter any difficulties in the research and development process, we will have to ask Northwestern Polytechnical University for help!"

"No problem, Director Duan, we will definitely do our best to help. This is all for the development of our country's aviation industry!"

"Qin Liang, you guys have really put our factory in a bind! Thousands of mouths are counting on this atmospheric data computer project. Come on, let me toast you in advance. We might be going to Northwestern Polytechnical University to learn from you quite often in the future..."

"Director Zhao, you're too kind. I'll thank you. We just have to push ourselves, otherwise we won't know how capable we are..."

The capital city, the airport terminal.

"Qin Liang's move was brilliant!" Old Lin exclaimed. "If they want to get projects, they have to raise the funds themselves. This puts pressure on them, and they will definitely do their best to carry out research and development. All the bad habits of research units in the past will disappear!"

"Yes, that means we can develop the product with only half, or even less, of the planned R&D budget." Old Wang was also very pleased: "The long-standing drawbacks of the aviation industry will be swept away! Qin Liang is the vanguard of reform!"

"The avionics problem of the Super-7 will be completely solved. The only problem with this aircraft is the engine," said Old Lin. "The RB199 that Pakistan coordinated is very tempting with its performance data. I wonder if Northwestern Polytechnical University can reverse engineer it..."

The Air Force has long wanted to use turbofan engines, but the country's weak aviation industry could not meet its needs. Now...

"No rush. Qin Liang has a good grasp of the big picture; he's probably already starting to make plans."

"Report! Factory 430 just sent a telegram saying their modified Spey engine is on the test bench, and its thrust has reached ten tons..."

It's fixed so quickly!
Lin Laoteng immediately stood up: "Great! Let's go take a look!"

"That's right, let's go take a look. As long as the performance is stable, let's try modifying a H-6 bomber!" Old Wang's tone was somewhat excited.

The H-6 is the largest bomber in the hands of the Eastern Navy and Air Force! It has a maximum takeoff weight of over 70 tons and a maximum payload of 9 tons. However, due to the high fuel consumption of its engines, its range was limited. After being replaced with fuel-efficient Spey engines, its performance has been completely transformed!

With the engine replaced, the H-6 bomber can be used for another twenty years!
They didn't realize that they were being too conservative; even after the H-6 bomber had used up the alphabet, they could still continue using it!
(End of this chapter)