By Yin Guishuang and Li Jianwen
CHANGCHUN, Mar. 19 -- For the first time, the 11th batch of 11 female pilot cadets of the Chinese PLA Air Force carried out the night landing training with runway end identifier lights (REILs) at the airport of a training base under the PLA Air Force Aviation University on March 13, 2020.
It is known that in the past, female pilot cadets used searchlight-assisted lighting system for night flight training so that they could clearly distinguish the take-off and landing position and the flight attitude. However, this method is not conducive to improving their technical and tactical level, and is also derailed from the real combat training of front-line air force troops.
The use of REILs for landing training, instead of searchlight-assisted lighting system, is closer to the actual combat need and can enhance the pilot cadets’ capability to adapt to night operations. Such a training course is more challenging to female cadets in accurately understanding the attitude of the aircraft, finding the position of the runway, judging the height off the ground and deciding on the timing of landing.
On the evening of March 13, pilot Miao Yue landed her aircraft steadily on the runway after a series of tense and orderly operations. She was still excited after stepping off her aircraft: "Although the identifier lights made the runway look narrow, my operation was smooth and natural when following the essentials. This further strengthened my confidence in night training."
The night training mission was completed on the early morning of March 14. It is said that this batch of female pilot cadets have also conducted combat training courses such as overload sensing, low-speed flight, steep banking, etc. All of their performances met the standards.