The Young Eagle Takes Flight! "Post-05" Flight Students Take to the Skies

In the early morning, the sunlight cast a golden glow on the red and blue painted trainer aircraft, reflecting the young and resolute faces of the trainees. On this day, the new class of flight students from the Air Force Aviation University welcomed a milestone moment in their flying careers—taking to the skies for the first time. This group of "post-2000" youths, with an average age of only 20, organized their gear, climbed into the cockpit, and pushed the throttle, officially embarking on their first appointment with the blue sky under the guidance of their flight instructors.

Born in 2006, Han Ningxu lives near the airport and grew up listening to the roar of fighter jets taking off and landing, dreaming of flying for many years. However, when he actually found himself in the cockpit, the impact of reality was far beyond that of a simulator. While performing a 45-degree turn, Han Ningxu, focused on adjusting his posture, momentarily lost track of his position. "The nose is too low, pull up!" A reminder from the rear instructor, Zhang Wenbo, instantly brought him back from his tension.

After landing, with the aircraft still warm, Han Ningxu felt particularly clear-headed: to fly well, a solid foundation must be established. That evening, he meticulously noted down the mistakes made during the flight in his notebook, repeatedly refining the techniques of level flight and throttle control, and posture correction in subsequent training, solidifying his foundation bit by bit.

Another trainee, Owen Zhi, faced multiple criticisms from instructors during the ground preparation phase. However, he became more determined and looked forward to the practical flying to validate his judgments.

On his first flight, Owen Zhi encountered turbulence and clouds obscuring the horizon. Faced with this unexpected situation, he remained calm, focused on coordinating the controls, and closely followed the instructor's prompts to make continuous corrections, steadily maintaining the aircraft's state. "The instructor's prompts validated that my judgments were correct, giving me more confidence in my operations." By monitoring the instruments, assessing the situation, and correcting his maneuvers, he deepened his understanding of flying. He wrote in his flight diary: "The confidence to take action is built through repeated practice on the ground." This resilience of "not retreating in the face of criticism" is not an isolated case but a common trait among this group of trainees.

"This group of trainees has grown up in an era of national strength and prosperity, inherently possessing cultural confidence. They learn quickly, are eager to explore, dare to ask questions, and cherish every opportunity to take to the skies," said Xu Xiao from the capability assessment team.

Behind their successful takeoff is day after day of rigorous training. The unit consistently adheres to the training philosophy of "starting steadily, having a clear foundation, and ensuring solid basics," linking every aspect from entry education, flight theory study, cockpit practice, to ground drills, ensuring that the trainees are well-prepared for their "first flight."

As the sun sets, the warbirds return triumphantly one after another. The trainees stand in line beside the aircraft, their faces beaming with excitement and composure after their first flight. This first ascent marks the beginning of their journey in the skies, and these young "post-2000" fledglings are spreading their wings of youth, soaring towards the vast sky, ready to etch their flight paths across the nation's firmament.