Ground monitoring saves J-10 fighters

A monitoring system which displays real time data from aircraft saved the life of famous test pilot Li Zhonghua when his plane developed a fault.

Towards the end of the flight, the monitoring system warned that the main fuel tank was almost empty and that the reserve tank had failed. Li was unaware of the situation as the plane's control panel showed only the total amount of fuel. But he was able to land his plane just before the fuel ran out after being alerted to the danger by ground control.

Surprising jamming of cartridge

The base also conducts missile tests and on some occasions accidents have threatened soldiers' lives.

Zhu Chuantao (C) in training. [File photo]

On one occasion when chief test specialist Zhu Chuantao launched a missile, part of the projectile jammed inside the barrel. The engine threatened to explode and destroy the entire area around the launch site. But Zhu's quick thinking in readjusting the launch direction and immediately locking the launcher, saved hundreds of lives at the base.

Ding Jiansi has also experienced such accidents. His plane became shrouded in a thick smoke after he launched an air-to-air missile, then his engine failed and the plane started to descend. Analysis showed that exhaust from the missile had smothered his engine. After studying the flight record, Ding found he had a window of half a second to avoid the smoke. A month later he successfully retested the missile launch, and his practice has been widely followed in subsequent tests.

Fighter jets conduct in-flight refueling. [File photo]