Chapter 846

Chapter 846: Flying to the Sky

The roar of four turboprop-engine noises filled the air. To pursue loading capacity and airframe strength, the noise insulation of the cabin wasn’t as good as that of commercial airliners. However, Lin Mo, Major Chen Jun, and Colonel Cao Yueyang had already grown accustomed to it while flying inland on a blue and white Y-8 military transport plane; jet engines were significantly noisier than turboprop engines.

Not long after completing the revised version of the air combat skill curriculum, the instructor team, which had gathered, was set to fly to Chengdu to collect the J-10B fighter jets specifically for teaching, and each of them would return to Quzhou Military Airport with one plane.

Involving the upgrade of the national aerial forces, this significant elite training course could not use imported Su-30s as teaching tools. Naturally, the homegrown J-10 fighter jet, designed to fit Chinese preferences, became the best choice, favoring the enhancement of China’s third-generation leading aerial armaments.

As for the fourth-generation frontline fighter jet, it would take at least another five to ten years before they could be widely used by various aviation units.

After completing this training course, these three J-10B fighter jets would smoothly be transferred to the strong-attack division at Hangzhou Qianqiao Military Airport, fulfilling a long-overdue order, which saved a significant amount in transport and tuning costs. Thus, not a single penny of the people’s hard-earned money would be wasted.

For the three instructor-level officials, the transition flight was a piece of cake, with no difficulty whatsoever.

The returning Y-8 military transport plane could carry maintenance tools, various consumables, and technical engineers back home, also providing escort for the three returning J-10s.

As Lin Mo donned his sleek black Dragon Guard Tactical Armor once more and compared it to his slightly faded pressure suit, Major Chen Jun felt an unexplainable urge to cry poor.

The gap between them was stark. Standing next to the wealthy young man, he felt like a beggar, embarrassing in comparison.

“Lin Mo, where did you get that pressure suit? Can you share the contact information? I want to order one for myself; it looks really impressive!” Major Chen Jun mused about the cost of Lin Mo’s gear, considering his own finances and whether he could afford one to show off.

Colonel Cao Yueyang also appeared taken by the armor; lacking sufficient funds, he thought about asking superiors to place an order too, so everyone could take turns wearing them.

Fighter pilots generally have similar physiques, and a bit of adjustment allows for sharing of pressure suits now and then.

“Oh, ‘Henghai Defense’ provided this multi-purpose tactical armor; I don’t know the price, but I can give you the contact information so you can inquire,” Lin Mo replied.

Since "Henghai Defense" isn’t considered a top-secret unit within the military, Lin Mo had no intention of keeping it confidential. They might even get some orders from it.

The small-scale production of the “Dragon Guard” tactical armor had already brought in substantial profits for Henghai Defense, while Lin Mo’s “Dragon General” experimental prototype was still undergoing real-world testing. It had supplied a wealth of valuable data and modification proposals to Henghai Defense, making their partnership quite enjoyable.

The next batch of newly produced tactical armors would see significant enhancements in performance and quality.

Joy spread across Major Chen Jun and Colonel Cao Yueyang’s faces. They initially thought Lin Mo would wield military secrecy as an excuse to withhold information, yet he readily agreed. They felt thrilled.

As long as they had the contact details, the rest could be managed by their superiors, who would work to secure some aviation tactical armors to impress others.

Both men had already guessed some functionalities of Lin Mo’s "Dragon General." Besides standard defense capabilities and overload resistance, it could assist in targeting, voice command input, and reduce manual operation steps. If used well, it could enhance combat effectiveness significantly.

A simple exchange of contact details inadvertently brought Lin Mo and the two instructors closer. Although each held different ranks, no one cared about titles in informal settings. They soon began calling each other by name, even referring to one another as Little Lin, Old Cao, and Old Chen.

The Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, the producer of the J-10 fighter jets, is located in the west suburbs of Chengdu. To facilitate shipping and provide repair services, the factory has a standard runway capable of accommodating large transport planes.

Orders from the Hangzhou strong-attack division had been prepared, and three fully assembled and fueled J-10B fighter jets stood side by side on the parking area, ready for their pilots to start the engines, roaring toward the runway, soaring into the blue sky, and heading for their combat posts.

Nearby, four or five towing vehicles and packed boxes filled with consumables and specialized tools for the J-10 fighter jets came into view. Compared to civilian appliances and vehicles, military equipment’s after-sales service is far more complicated; a large quantity of parts is required, and only qualified engineers can ensure safe usage.

The distance from Quzhou to Chengdu is only a one- to two-hour flight in the Y-8, especially when it’s almost empty.

The blue and white Y-8 military transport plane landed steadily on the Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group’s runway. Under the air traffic control tower’s direction, it turned toward the expansive parking area.

As soon as the transport plane came to a stop, several towing vehicles neatly lined up, ready to drive toward the rear of the transport plane. A fuel truck quickly approached under the wings to begin refueling.

Neither the Y-8 nor Lin Mo and his companions would stay overnight. Once the transport plane finished loading and refueling, it would take off immediately for its return journey.

Exiting the opened rear cargo hold, Lin Mo and his team began to check the fighter jets with the personnel from Chengdu.

Although they had already passed security checks on the parking area, the three pilots still performed a meticulous inspection for their safety.

Engine ignition testing was essential; experienced pilots could often determine the aircraft’s health by listening to the engine’s sound and feeling the vibrations of the airframe.

In the event of a serious issue at high altitudes, where the air is thin and cold, a parachute escape would be tragic.

After completing all procedures and pre-flight tests, the loading of cargo on the transport plane neared completion. They thought they would only have to wait another half hour to successfully take off. However, unexpectedly, all four planes on the airport received a temporary no-fly order from the Air Traffic Control Bureau, which was expected to be lifted in two hours.

This sudden no-fly order created confusion, and it wasn’t entirely unrelated to military matters—it originated from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

…

“Now entering the countdown, 10, 9, 8, 7… 2, 1, launch!”

A low rumbling thunder resonated as a blazing fire and thick smoke erupted from the base of the towering launch pad, unleashing a tremendous force that shook both the ground and the air, seeming to reverberate through space itself.

Watching the massive bundled multi-stage launch vehicle detach from its launch pad as it cleared the enveloping smoke and ascended towards the sky, Meng Yinan clenched her fists tightly from a safe distance in the observation zone. Despite the distance, the pressure and awe-inspiring energy felt just as potent.

Though astronauts place special emphasis on training for mental resilience, each time she witnessed a rocket launch, Meng Yinan found it difficult to contain her excitement, and she could never get enough of it.

It felt as if her spirit could inhabit those space carrying capsules, piercing through the thick atmosphere and ascending into the eternal universe, exploring a world filled with infinite possibilities.

“Wang Xuejun! How many launches have there been now?”

Wei Yuni, the only female astronaut in this group, wrapped her arms around herself and turned her gaze to a young man beside her.

Feeling many eyes on him, Wang Xuejun looked at the increasingly high and fast launch vehicle, replying without even glancing back, “This is the fifteenth launch this year! After two more, it might be our turn!”

His tightly clenched fists betrayed his emotions; they hadn’t missed a single launch at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

Wang Xuejun was quite well-informed at the base and knew some upcoming semi-classified information.

It was as if overnight, the Aerospace Department had received divine enlightenment, quickly overcoming many long-standing technical challenges, triggering a remarkable series of effects, and good news about their breakthroughs arrived one after another.

In a short time, China’s aviation industry had progressed by leaps and bounds, and the previously stagnant technologies made significant advances.

The rapid technical progress also benefited the astronauts greatly. The threshold for being allowed to enter space, which once required extensive training, had been significantly lowered, providing opportunities to become real astronauts by passing through several assessments.

Standing here, watching the launch vehicle disappear from view in mere seconds, heading towards that unknown horizon.

All astronauts imagined the moment they would one day enter outer space—what an exhilarating feeling it would be.