Chinese test pilot who landed plane safely after cabin leak given first-class merit award

Chinese President Xi Jinping recently honored veteran naval test pilot Yang Yong with a prestigious first-class merit award for defence science and technology. Yang, who has previously earned seven other merit awards, has been testing aircraft from China's most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian. In a recent documentary on state broadcaster CCTV, Yang recounted a harrowing experience during which his plane lost cabin pressure at an altitude of 10,000 metres due to a leak.

Despite a civilian flight path lying below him, Yang was forced to maintain his altitude for 13 minutes before he could safely land. He explained that the incident tested his physical and mental reserves, as he had to endure worsening sensations before they gradually returned as he descended. Yang, who has also tested China's first fixed-wing, carrier-based early warning aircraft, the KJ-600, highlighted the unique challenges of operating such a large aircraft, including the need for precise catapult-assisted take-offs and arrested landings.

He noted that the initial reaction time to control the aircraft after launch was nearly one second, while the reaction time required towards the end was a fraction of a second. Landing on the carrier proved even more challenging than takeoff, with Yang describing the effects of high wind resistance and turbulent airflows on the early warning aircraft's trajectory.

Another pilot interviewed by CCTV, Wang Zhongyuan, recounted an encounter with a foreign pilot near the western Pacific, where he successfully locked onto the opponent during several rounds of aerial manoeuvring. Wang expressed his determination to fight rather than merely fulfill a job obligation.