Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

Air Force test pilot, deputy brigade brigade Sun light (photo provided by the respondents themselves)
data for: 60th anniversary parade of the Z-9 armed helicopters

Sun, Light, Air Force deputy brigade commander of a flight, the second graduate of the Air Force Flying School, Liaoning Kangping people

Reporter: our group test, including what content?

Sun light: Our test unit is mainly responsible for a certain type of helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft, research, production flight test mission. Test covers many things. Take the factory test, according to flight test outline, can be divided into the platform flight, radio (electronic device) the role of distance flight, high-altitude performance test, the autopilot flight, fire control system, flight, engine performance test, and so on. Each new aircraft factory flight test should be carried out strictly. If all goes well, a new machine in ten hours to complete the factory test subjects, according to test drive the system checks for new outline, performance intact, use the normal airborne equipment, flight captain comments after the signing of the new machine before it is equipped forces.

years, armed forces equipped with helicopters of various types are also many, such as equipment, the command of Air Force reconnaissance aircraft, attack aircraft, training aircraft and aerial machine; equipped army reconnaissance aircraft, attack aircraft and training machine; equipped naval forces of the anti-submarine aircraft, ship machines and trainers; There is also a small amount of equipment the armed police, public security system, police helicopters; in recent years, there are some models of helicopter exports to other countries.

Although we are Air Force flight test unit, but because of the helicopter’s versatility, more work is for military service. Adapted from the flight training delivered to staff to help transition the new forces sent aircraft, the group begins and ends at a diligent gardener responsible role.

Reporter: straight nine helicopter model used in Army aviation and the Navy’s model which is the difference?

Sun light: a platform for the two models is roughly the same, but perform different tasks. Navy helicopter test flight, most of the test subjects must go to sea; Army helicopter flight in addition to platform, the main difference with the Navy’s flight test weapon system is, including ground missiles, air to air missiles, rockets target and foil test of the decoy’s flight must go to a special range test.

for landing, the flight envelope and other test subjects. This subject is inside the landing of the Navy’s test pilot to carry out, while other subjects are done by us. Meanwhile, the new helicopters and equipment to the Army Aviation, if the shooting of the subjects, the shooter from the Army Aviation, the helicopter is to manipulate us to be responsible.

Reporter: Do you mainly fly model?

Sun light: I am from the flight school to the present, in addition to study abroad EC-120 helicopters, driving, is mainly engaged in the direct-nine series of helicopter flight. Nine straight series helicopters generally characterized by manipulation of very small, mobile, good flexibility and fast response. In addition, I also participated in the domestic first flight of a new armed helicopters.

once a month to learn French. Learning EC-120 helicopter flight, and then obtain qualification certificates, so you can come back with flying students in the country. France’s training course is very intuitive, there is next to the helicopter’s physical classroom. If students do not understand the problem, you can use in the field machine for real answers. And the instructors responsible for training abroad, comprehensive high-quality, whether it is the principle, or driving, maintenance and other aspects, a person can complete. I personally think that some foreign good teaching tools and methods may wish to draw over.

Reporters: Research and general production verification flight test are the different?

Sun light: scientific research flight is the product of a new performance, functionality, parameters, operational feasibility of the rationalization argument. Production verification flight test is what we often say that the batch test, is to just pop in terms of production out of the helicopter “fault.” Pilots on the equivalent of a “quality inspector”, according to the outline calls for the helicopter flight of the system inspections, and the difference is the test pilot as a “quality inspector” than the average product quality inspectors to take greater risks.

research is necessary to test the performance of new research products to “fly” out, not according to established procedures to check. For example, a certain type of fire control radar for the validation test, is necessary to test the radar at different altitudes, the speed of air and ground target detection performance, the ultimate aim is to test the radar can distinguish the different targets, such as wheel or tracked vehicles type vehicles. From the pilot’s point of view, the screen is not displayed on the vehicle’s image but a different symbol. This is due to the design of the radar when the target feature has a corresponding database of radar to detect targets, according to the database to determine what the target is then displayed on the screen. Through research flight testing and ultimately achieving rapid clearly identify what is the objective.

Reporters: helicopter flight risk there?

Sun light: the helicopter compared to the fixed-wing aircraft, some of its poor stability, the state is very easy to change, so if you do not use the helicopter autopilot, driving up feeling more “tiring . ” In general, some of the performance limits of test subjects, such as maximum speed, maximum height, the relative risk is relatively large.

and fixed-wing aircraft, compared to the helicopter main rotor and tail rotor to ensure that by the air motor, rotor and tail rotor are crucial components. Once the tail rotor or a problem, then the helicopter will immediately lose control, fall quickly. Such as the U.S. film “Black Hawk Down” Black Hawk helicopter was hit by rocket tail rotor, the helicopter can not control the direction, and can only spin in the air, fast fall.

Reporter: In the first flight school to fly helicopters at the scene, as well as impressions?

Sun light: Yes, although the pre has a lot of theoretical study, but the real helicopter, the rotor of the sound of a ringing, brain, or some in a daze, attention is also some scattered, often trade-off. In the beginning when learning to drive, how to maintain the state of the helicopter is the most difficult.

correspondent: the environment in low-altitude combat helicopters, is not the pilots ability to respond to a high demand?

Sun light: Yes. As is usually used in low-altitude combat helicopters, ground closer relative motion changes embodied in the vision of the faster aircraft fleeting. The helicopter pilot while still maintaining the state and for the use of fire control system, which requires the pilot rapid response, attention allocation round.

Reporter: in my mind, until nine helicopters as a platform for development for some time

Sun light: started nine straight in the middle of the fuselage fitted with a beam as a rack, you can mount a small amount of weapons. This direct-nine helicopters of this type can only be nine straight “arm-type”, but also no real sense of the armed helicopter. Later in the 60th anniversary parade in nine straight appearance, is the true sense of the armed helicopter.

Reporter: in the helicopter flight, the co-pilot’s function?

Sun light: co-pilot in the Army Aviation helicopter flight, usually a striker’s role; if driving on the Navy carrier-based helicopters, tactical coordinator’s role is . Simple co-pilot helicopter with general skills, the main responsibility is to help accomplish the mission commander.

Reporter: as opposed to combat forces, brigade flight What are the characteristics?

Sun light: combat troops are training in accordance with training programs to groups are tactical needs; and flight test unit test work for many new areas of development, is explore the unknown, different.

Reporter: more than in the low-flying helicopter, deposit does not exist “bird strike” situation?

Sun light: there. Last winter I was driving the helicopter when it hit the landing roll over. Fortunately, the helicopter’s speed is generally slow, but also endanger the security situation does not occur.

Reporter: I see the troops there to provide information, to prevent dangerous close to that, you can give to explain it?

Sun light: close to danger, is the low visibility in bad weather situations, while the helicopter took off more time, too close to each other. In particular, to avoid the air beyond the situation. Such as the helicopter took off after the hand, before landing the helicopter prior to take off, which is in the air than a serious threat to air safety.

Reporter: is now the age structure of the pilot test unit how to?

Sun light: Now we can pilot the age structure, the average age of the pilot batch basically four or five years gap.