"The Red Eagle Soars in Changchun, Saluting the Blue Sky, Saluting the People"

November 11 is the anniversary of the founding of the People's Air Force. To celebrate the 77th anniversary of the People's Air Force, on the morning of the 9th, the "Eagle" flight demonstration team of the Air Force Aviation University held a flight performance over Changchun Blue Sky Park, flapping their wings to celebrate the birthday of the People's Air Force.

At around 10 a.m., the roar of engines echoed over Blue Sky Park. A formation of 8 CJ-8 aircraft flew over the park in three formations: "Eagle Team," "Fighting Hawk Team," and "Sword Team." During the formation changes, the 8 aircraft maintained a compact distance, executing movements in perfect unison, with red, yellow, and blue smoke trailing from their tails. In the air, the formation swept by; on the ground, MiG-15, J-7, J-8, and other aircraft from different eras were quietly displayed. The old and new warbirds gazed at each other across the airspace, engaging in a dialogue that spanned decades.

In the park, many citizens stopped to look up. From November 11 to 17, Changchun City also arranged activities such as aviation cultural experiences, national defense education, and services for veterans, allowing citizens to not only watch the flight performance but also to learn about aviation equipment and the history of the People's Air Force up close.

The 8 trainer aircraft were piloted by flight instructors from the Air Force Aviation University. On ordinary days, they are responsible for training flight students. Each set of flight maneuvers is based on combat standards, and every aerial performance is a vivid demonstration of the results of training for combat readiness. Zhang Libin, a flight instructor who is a recipient of the "Outstanding Teacher of the Armed Forces" award in 2026 and served as the ground commander for this mission, said: "The times have given us Chinese soldiers a platform, and the leapfrog development of the People's Air Force has provided us flight instructors with a platform."

This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Northeast Old Aviation School. Established in 1946 in Tonghua, Jilin, the Northeast Old Aviation School moved to Changchun in 1949 after several relocations, training a group of aviation backbones for the establishment of the People's Air Force. Today, the Air Force Aviation University continues to cultivate flight talent in Changchun, nurturing batches of fledgling eagles to soar into the aerospace battlefield, ensuring the legacy of the old aviation school continues to extend.

After the flight, the CJ-8 aircraft landed one after another. "Flying in Changchun is different from flying elsewhere," said flight instructor Liu Shaohui after stepping off the plane. "Today, we took off from this glorious land, paying tribute to the predecessors of the old aviation school and to the People's Air Force. This is the greatest honor for me as a flight instructor."

Author | Shao Zhaopeng, Tang Jin, Jia Weiyi

Images | Yuan Bing, Wang Xiao, Zhu Chenqi