Great Power Long Sky

Although the J-7E fighter jet adopts a double delta wing aerodynamic layout design, this design significantly improves its handling performance and instantaneous turning ability at low altitude and low speed.

However, as a light fighter jet primarily designed for high-speed, high-altitude interception, it is not capable enough for close air support missions.

If the task of ground support, which requires a large payload, long loiter time, and strong survivability, is to be performed, the JH-7 fighter-bomber is undoubtedly more professional and a more suitable choice.

In fact, in the People's Liberation Army Air Force's equipment lineup, in addition to fighter-bombers like the JH-7, there is another type of aircraft dedicated to ground attack, which our military traditionally calls ground attack aircraft, with the Q-5 being a typical example.

However, this attack aircraft, which was developed and improved based on the J-6 fighter jet, has a maximum payload of only 1.5 tons and a combat radius of only about 600 kilometers. Moreover, only the latest improved models have initially acquired night combat capabilities.

Therefore, the Q-5's main role was to fill the gap in the equipment system for ground attack aircraft at that time, and its actual ground support capability and mission flexibility were relatively limited.

After obtaining approval from his superiors, Li Lu organized a tactical test team to conduct low-altitude penetration flight training with the J-7E fighter-bomber without live ammunition, in order to explore relevant tactics. On the other hand, he also had in-depth discussions with Gu Chen and others from the naval aviation instructor group regarding the conversion flight training of the JH-7 fighter-bomber.

In fact, Li Lu had already begun his theoretical study of the JH-7 fighter-bomber, and this theoretical study is now nearing completion.

When Gu Chen learned that Li Lu had completed all the theoretical studies in less than a month, he was quite surprised and couldn't help but ask, "You've already finished all the theoretical course content in less than a month?"

Li Lu smiled and replied, "I have a naturally good memory. I can basically remember what I've read once, so I'm very efficient at learning and can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Gu Chen was still somewhat incredulous and pressed on, "But that's not just ordinary theory; it involves a large number of technical parameters, system principles, and design theories. Have you really mastered it all?"

Li Lu nodded without hesitation and replied firmly, "Yes, Chief of Staff Gu can test me at any time."

Without mincing words, Gu Chen asked several questions, all concerning the technical theories and operational details of the JH-7's various systems.

Li Lu not only answered every question correctly, but also provided detailed explanations based on his own understanding, which was quite profound and thorough.

This is clearly a sign that the knowledge has been truly understood and mastered.

"Now that the theoretical learning is complete, there shouldn't be too much of a problem with the actual hands-on practice." Gu Chen nodded with a sigh and readily agreed to Li Lu's arrangement to move on to the practical training phase.

After a week of continuous rainy weather, the day finally came to an end, and some auspicious news came from Le Ning – the day will be a sunny day for flying.

Early that morning, the bright sunshine shone down on the earth without any obstruction, and we finally had a morning without any morning mist.

Li Lu made thorough preparations before the flight.

Before boarding, Xu Hailiang gave him a red envelope according to the traditional customs of the Guangdong and Guangxi regions, symbolizing good fortune and smooth sailing.

After all preparations were completed, Li Lu boarded the JH-7 fighter-bomber and sat in the rear cockpit seat, while Gu Chen served as the front cockpit pilot and instructor for this flight.

The JH-7's front and rear cockpits are equipped with complete flight control systems.

Generally speaking, during flight instruction, students usually sit in the front cockpit while instructors monitor and guide them from the rear cockpit.

However, the JH-7 was not a dedicated trainer aircraft, and there was no corresponding simulator cockpit available at the time.

Therefore, Gu Chen's approach was to first have Li Lu sit in the rear cockpit and have him fly for a few days to gradually familiarize him with the real cockpit environment, instrument layout, and operating feel, and then gradually let Li Lu take over more control functions.

Another practical difficulty is that the JH-7 has a relatively high fuselage, and the East China Sea airfield does not have a suitable boarding ladder!

Fortunately, Peng Fei had led his team to urgently process and produce several more; otherwise, Li Lu and his group wouldn't have been able to even board the plane.

When Gu Chen led his team to relocate to the Donghai Airport, they had to temporarily use an open-top 212 jeep to set up the boarding ladder on the roof because there was no suitable boarding ladder. This solved the problem of getting off the plane.

Gu Chen maneuvered the JH-7 slowly out of the parking apron, across the connecting taxiway parallel to the runway, and into the taxiway.

He first taxied the aircraft twice along the taxiway to let Li Lu feel the handling characteristics of ground taxiing before taxiing the aircraft onto the main runway to prepare for takeoff practice.

"I'll first demonstrate the standard takeoff procedure in its entirety. Observe carefully. You'll be the one to perform the actual operation later," Gu Chen said over the radio.

Li Lu concentrated and replied repeatedly, "Understood, I am ready."

Gu Chen began to execute the takeoff procedures one by one according to the standard procedures.

The two Spey turbofan engines equipped on the JH-7 emit a deep and powerful sound that is completely different from that of turbojet engines. This sound makes people feel that the engine is powerful and full of confidence.

Li Lu took his hands and feet off the control stick and rudder, focusing intently on observing the changes in various data on the dashboard.

Before each operation, Gu Chen would give a verbal explanation, and then explain in detail the key points, timing and precautions of the operation while performing it.

This is a typical, standardized teaching method.

The JH-7 began to accelerate and taxi on the runway.

After the runway centerline was crossed, Gu Chen quickly reduced the throttle while smoothly applying braking pressure to gradually reduce the aircraft's speed and bring it to a smooth stop.

He then maneuvered the aircraft onto the taxiway and returned to the takeoff line.

After returning to the takeoff position, Gu Chen said to Li Lu, "Captain Li, you will be in charge of the takeoff run from here on out. Note that when the airspeed indicator reaches 270 kilometers per hour, immediately reduce the throttle, retract the flaps, deploy the speed brakes, and begin to apply the brakes smoothly."

Li Lu answered clearly and firmly: "Understood!"

He was overjoyed; being able to fly the JH-7 fighter-bomber meant his life was finally getting better.

"Now, the control of the aircraft is yours." After saying this, Gu Chen released his grip on the control stick and rudder, but remained alert, ready to take over the operation at any time.

"Understood!" Li Lu replied.

He quickly reviewed the key points and procedures he had just seen in his mind, then gripped the stick with both hands and steered with both feet.

First, he confirmed that the flaps were in the takeoff position, then checked the engine speed and the status of each control surface, confirming that everything was normal.

Li Lu slowly pushed the throttle lever forward, and the Spey turbofan engine once again unleashed a powerful thrust.

This thrust feels completely different from the turbojet engine used in the J-7E. Subjectively, it's somewhat like the difference in power output characteristics between a large-displacement six-cylinder engine and a small-displacement four-cylinder engine.

The thrust of the JH-7 gives people a more solid and powerful confidence, and feels like the power is surging and continuous.

The JH-7 began to accelerate along the runway, its speed increasing rapidly, and the speedometer needle quickly swung to the right and climbed higher.

Li Lu noticed with some surprise that the speedometer needle seemed to have inadvertently crossed the 200 km/h mark, and subjectively felt that the acceleration process was even faster than that of the J-7E.

However, in reality, due to the larger and heavier airframe of the JH-7, its acceleration performance is theoretically slightly slower than that of the lighter J-7E. This feeling of "faster" mainly stems from the different physical sensations and visual reference differences that the larger aircraft brings to the crew during acceleration.

This is similar to driving a vehicle: when driving a compact A-class sedan, you can clearly feel the increase in speed and vehicle dynamics after stepping on the accelerator; while when driving a large D-class sedan, the speed often exceeds 100 kilometers per hour without you even realizing it. This is closely related to factors such as the size and weight of the vehicle, chassis suspension tuning, and transmission system characteristics.

The difference in acceleration between the JH-7 and J-7E provided pilots with a similar sense of comparison for Li Lu.

Furthermore, there is no doubt that twin-engine fighter jets can indeed provide pilots with a greater sense of psychological security.

When Project No. 10 was initiated, the Navy did not participate directly, but the Air Force took the lead in promoting it. One of the reasons for this was that the fighter jet adopted a single-engine design.

For naval aviation units whose main operational area is over the vast ocean, twin-engine fighter jets are often the preferred choice.

This is because there are not as many backup airfields at sea as there are on land. If a single-engine fighter jet experiences an engine failure, the pilot often has no choice but to eject.

However, if it is a twin-engine fighter jet, even if one engine fails, it may still be able to maintain flight by relying on the other engine, and try to return to the airfield or find an alternate landing opportunity.

Of course, if the engines used in Project 10 can achieve very high standards in terms of reliability and low failure rate, the naval aviation force will also consider purchasing the equipment.

The instant the instrument panel showed that the airspeed reached 270 kilometers per hour, Li Lu swiftly and accurately executed a series of maneuvers—retracting the throttle, retracting the flaps, deploying the speed brakes, and then smoothly and forcefully pressing down the brake pedal.

The JH-7's taxiing speed gradually decreased, and by the time it reached the runway bend, the speed had dropped to about 30 kilometers per hour. The entire process was smooth and controllable, without any stiffness or awkwardness.

Seeing this, Gu Chen asked in a surprised tone, "Captain Li, have you really never had any contact with the Flying Leopard before?"

Li Lu replied with a smile, "Our air force is not equipped with JH-7 fighter-bombers, and I have never been to your naval aviation unit, so naturally there has been no opportunity for contact."

Gu Chen couldn't help but exclaim, "Your entire simulated takeoff and taxiing maneuver was incredibly skillful and precise. If I didn't know this was your first time piloting the Flying Leopard, I would have almost thought you'd flown this kind of aircraft before!"

"Haha, I might have a little talent for flying planes, but it's not that amazing," Li Lu replied modestly with a smile.

Gu Chen shook his head slightly and said, "You're too modest. When the takeoff speed reached 270 kilometers per hour, I even had a momentary feeling that you were about to pull back the stick and lift the nose for takeoff."

Upon hearing this, Li Lu felt a slight unease; Chief of Staff Gu's intuition was remarkably accurate.

He did have a moment of impulse to pull back the lever and lift the front wheel to get into takeoff position, but he suppressed it with his strong self-control.

He thought for a moment and suggested, "Chief of Staff Gu, let's stop the taxiing training here. Why don't we go straight to the actual takeoff operation training? With you supervising and ensuring my safety, I'm very confident."

Gu Chen thought for a moment, then radioed the control tower to request permission to conduct flight training.

At this time, the person in charge of command in the control tower was Colonel Feng Liang, the deputy division commander, while Xu Hailiang temporarily served as Feng Liang's operations and training staff officer to assist in command.

The conversion of fighter jets to new models is a major training event for the troops, especially since this conversion involves aircraft from the Naval Aviation. Feng Liang must personally oversee the operation from the control tower to ensure a safe and successful completion of the project.

As the leader of the instructor group sent by the naval aviation force, Gu Chen proposed to conduct actual flight training, and Feng Liang had no reason not to approve it.

The entire East China Sea airfield, including Feng Liang himself, is not familiar enough with the specific performance and data of the JH-7. Currently, Gu Chen is the one who knows the aircraft and training requirements best.

"Flight training can proceed. Crosswind at ground level: 3 meters per second, standard atmospheric pressure. Exercise caution and ensure safety," Feng Liang clearly issued the command instructions.

Gu Chen immediately replied, "I understand."

Li Lu then asked Gu Chen, "Instructor, may I perform the takeoff operation?"

Gu Chen considered the situation carefully for a moment. The current weather conditions were good, the crosswind was within the ideal range, and Li Lu's maneuvering during the gliding was quite skillful and stable.

Therefore, he made a decisive decision:

"Okay. Takeoff is your responsibility. Maintain standard procedures, and I will take over immediately if anything goes wrong. Let's begin."

"yes!"

Li Lu immediately began to take control.

On the control tower, Feng Liang, Xu Hailiang, and the others all knew that Li Lu was about to perform the takeoff procedure, so they all raised their binoculars to look over.

Everyone involved in the flight could hear the conversation on the radio, and they naturally knew that Li Lu was the pilot.

The JH-7 began its takeoff run at one end of the runway, accelerating rapidly and increasing in speed. After running for more than 600 meters, the nose of the aircraft slowly rose, and the flaps provided powerful lift, "lifting" the aircraft steadily off the runway.

After the rear landing gear left the runway, the plane continued to fly forward for several hundred meters and climbed to a height of several tens of meters before Li Lu retracted the front and rear landing gear.

The signalman shouted, "Landing gear retracted safely!"

Feng Liang slowly lowered his binoculars, watching the JH-7 steadily climb and make a smooth left turn in the distance.

The whole process was smooth and seamless, and it looked very satisfying.

He looked at Xu Hailiang and asked, "This doesn't seem like his first time flying. Has this kid flown a Flying Leopard before?"

Xu Hailiang shook his head with a smile, "Obviously not. He's always quick to adapt to new aircraft models. Back when he was assigned to a unit, he completed the J-7's conversion training in just one week."

Feng Liang smacked his lips and said, "This kid really is a fucking flying genius!"

……