China says 2 pilots died in aircraft carrier tests

[makky lozano]

BEIJING (AP) — Two Chinese test pilots were killed during development of the country's first aircraft carrier fighter wing, state media said, in a rare admission of problems with the hugely popular naval program.


The admission came in a report by the official Xinhua News Agency saying President Xi Jinping had signed an order awarding honorary titles to all pilots in the first squadron to conduct take-off and landing tests aboard the Liaoning, China's only aircraft carrier.

"Two test pilots of the squadron sacrificed their lives during the tests," the report said. No details were given.

The original Xinhua report ran Aug. 28, but went largely overlooked at the time. It was picked up by U.S. defense blogs and linked Friday to the blog of the U.S. Naval Institute.

Carrier flight operations are inherently risky, and the loss of two pilots is far from unusual. However, China's military still operates under a shroud of secrecy and no deadly accidents relating to the carrier had been reported at the time.

China announced it had begun flight tests on the Liaoning in late 2012, spurring a wave of patriotic pride in the country's growing capabilities. State television ran hours of footage of planes landing and taking off, while Internet users across the country posted photos of themselves recreating the carrier flight crews' "all-clear" signal to the pilot.

Chinese carrier pilots fly the J-15 fighter-bomber, a copy of Russia's Sukhoi Su-33.

China spent a decade refurbishing a derelict Soviet-era carrier bought from Ukraine before commissioning it as the Liaoning in 2012. It is part of a major expansion of the Chinese navy that includes sophisticated new surface ships and submarines. The ship is slower and smaller than U.S. aircraft carriers and doesn't carry as many aircraft.

The Liaoning is still conducting sea trials and Chinese defense officials haven't said when, or even if, it will receive its full complement of aircraft.

On Dec. 5, 2013, a Chinese ship accompanying the Liaoning was involved in a near collision with a U.S. Navy cruiser, the USS Cowpens, when it was operating in international waters in the South China Sea. U.S. Navy officials said the Cowpens maneuvered to avoid the collision, but it marked the two nations' most serious sea confrontation in years.

 

[People's guard]

Sorry, I don't see any reports. You can put the address to send out the news?

 

[cirr]

Sorry, I don't see any reports. You can put the address to send out the news?

There was no such report。

If there were the “news” would have gone viral on Chinese websites，especially the military forums。

Our heedless foreign friends must have based their “story” on the following Xinhua report dated 28.04.2014：

豹啸长空激风雷——揭秘中国“飞豹”家族战机 -新华时政-新华网

 

[Beidou2020]

Propaganda.

 

[Jguo]

Can't post links yet, but there is a report on China daily.

Two in short succession, I would take a guess and say it was probably the so far unseen two-seater J-15.

For those of us who understand the inherent dangers associated with carrier flight deck operations, we know this was unavoidable - China has now experienced it themselves, just like other major navys who operate ACs. The progress and advancement of the Chinese AC program will serve to honour their deaths.

However we should take note of the progress made in terms of transparency already, as just a few short years ago, such incidents would have been kept under wraps until perhaps decades later. Now we are deservedly honouring our heroes in public.

May they rest in peace.

 

[cirr]

Can't post links yet, but there is a report on China daily.

Two in short succession, I would take a guess and say it was probably the so far unseen two-seater J-15.

For those of us who understand the inherent dangers associated with carrier flight deck operations, we know this was unavoidable - China has now experienced it themselves, just like other major navys who operate ACs. The progress and advancement of the Chinese AC program will serve to honour their deaths.

However we should take note of the progress made in terms of transparency already, as just a few short years ago, such incidents would have been kept under wraps until perhaps decades later. Now we are deservedly honouring our heroes in public.

May they rest in peace.

Have you seen the original Xinhua report？

If yes，pls provide the link or post the article。

Many thanks。

 

[BoQ77]

I believe there's possibility that the tests suffer losses of aircrafts and pilots.
No one know exactly because all we ( incl. Chinese members here ) could do is waiting for statements from PLA. Xinhua... They control to release the news or not.

The fact is we never seen Liaoning A/C has full fleet and do what we have been watching on Discovery channel for 50 years about US Aircraft Carrier operations.

Someone would doubt whether the A/C failed or not.

Btw, how many J15 in Liaoning right now ?

 

[cirr]

The following is original text：

命令指出，长期以来，该大队坚持以发展民族航空事业和建设强大空中力量为使命，教育引导试飞员把个人理想融入强军实践，官兵始终保持了旺盛斗志；积极探索理论、参与设计、试验飞行，圆满完成各项试验试飞任务，填补我国航空领域13项空白；自觉抵制诱惑、坦然面对生死，多次挑战装备和生理极限，有2名同志献出生命。特别是为圆满完成歼－15飞机在辽宁舰上成功实施阻拦着舰和滑跃起飞任务做出重大贡献。

Make your own judgement。

PS 1.35 billion Chinese ”failed“ to read between the lines while one foreigner ”succeeded“ in barking up the wrong tree。

Shame on Chinese。

 

[IPL5]

China says 2 pilots died in aircraft carrier tests

BEIJING — China says two test pilots were killed while developing its first aircraft carrier fighter wing, a rare admission of a setback in the hugely popular program.

In a report last month that went largely overlooked, the official Xinhua News Agency said President Xi Jinping signed an order awarding honorary titles to all pilots in the first squadron to conduct take-off and landing tests aboard the Liaoning, China’s only aircraft carrier.

It said two pilots sacrificed their lives during the tests but gave no details.

China announced it had begun flight tests on the Liaoning in late 2012, spurring a wave of patriotic pride in the country’s growing capabilities. Chinese pilots fly the J-15 fighter-bomber, a copy of Russia’s Sukhoi Su-33. China spent a decade refurbishing the carrier bought from Ukraine.


Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

[shree835]

China says 2 pilots died in aircraft carrier tests - Yahoo News India

 

[GR!FF!N]

I think this was the original news from Xinhua......

President Xi bestows military honors


BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has signed an order of commendation to honor the crew of the first aircraft carrier-based fighter jet.

According to the commendation order, a test squadron of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force were granted a honorary title for successfully conducting the take-off and landing tests of J-15 fighters on the Liaoning, China's sole aircraft carrier.

The order spoke highly of the squadron in the exploration and development of the J-15 fighter jet. Two test pilots of the squadron sacrificed their lives during the tests.

The commendation order urged all military personnel to learn from the squadron in cultivating combat-ready awareness, honing their skills and rooting out undesirable work styles.

Dai Mingmeng, the first J-15 pilot to have conducted a successful take-off and landing on the Liaoning, was granted a honorary title individually.

One unit and another 24 individuals were also awarded by commendation orders sighed by Xi,, in his role of chairman of the Central Military Commission, on Wednesday.

PLA Unit 91053 was awarded a third-class merit citation for outstanding contribution to major tasks.

Zheng Hui, senior engineer with the Headquarters of the General Staff; Zheng Yonghuang, chief engineer of the PLA 63620 Unit; Wang Hongli, commanding officer of the PLA 92474 Unit; Zou Jianguo, a pilot; and Cai Hongxia, chief head nurse of the 261 Hospital psychiatry department, were awarded first-class merit citations.

Liu Xiaoming, a late military instructor at PLA Information Engineering University was posthumously awarded a first-class merit citation.

Six individuals were awarded second-class merit citations and another 12 were awarded third-class merit citations.


President Xi bestows military honors - Xinhua | English.news.cn

 

[waz]

RIP brothers and comrades. Your sacrifices have taken your motherland that little bit forward to success. May your service never be forgotten.

 

[BoQ77]

How many Chinese pilots could take off and landing on to Liaoning now?

 

[Beidou2020]

I think this was the original news from Xinhua......

President Xi bestows military honors


BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has signed an order of commendation to honor the crew of the first aircraft carrier-based fighter jet.

According to the commendation order, a test squadron of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force were granted a honorary title for successfully conducting the take-off and landing tests of J-15 fighters on the Liaoning, China's sole aircraft carrier.

The order spoke highly of the squadron in the exploration and development of the J-15 fighter jet. Two test pilots of the squadron sacrificed their lives during the tests.

The commendation order urged all military personnel to learn from the squadron in cultivating combat-ready awareness, honing their skills and rooting out undesirable work styles.

Dai Mingmeng, the first J-15 pilot to have conducted a successful take-off and landing on the Liaoning, was granted a honorary title individually.

One unit and another 24 individuals were also awarded by commendation orders sighed by Xi,, in his role of chairman of the Central Military Commission, on Wednesday.

PLA Unit 91053 was awarded a third-class merit citation for outstanding contribution to major tasks.

Zheng Hui, senior engineer with the Headquarters of the General Staff; Zheng Yonghuang, chief engineer of the PLA 63620 Unit; Wang Hongli, commanding officer of the PLA 92474 Unit; Zou Jianguo, a pilot; and Cai Hongxia, chief head nurse of the 261 Hospital psychiatry department, were awarded first-class merit citations.

Liu Xiaoming, a late military instructor at PLA Information Engineering University was posthumously awarded a first-class merit citation.

Six individuals were awarded second-class merit citations and another 12 were awarded third-class merit citations.


President Xi bestows military honors - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Sacrifice meaning they risked their lives to do the test. Chinese english language media will not report anything that is not reported on local media. The words they use in english language media are totally the wrong meaning which lead to misunderstanding.

 

[BoQ77]

How many Chinese pilots could take off and landing on to Liaoning now?

such losses ( if any ) are predictable. But we doubt about what China could get after those losses.
Liaoning still be useless with less than a half of a dozen J15 for exhibition.

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Professional approach like below

Aircraft carrier Vikramaditya fully operational: Navy Chief

Written by Manu Pubby | New Delhi | May 31, 2014 1:56 am

Signalling that INS Vikramaditya is battle ready months after its arrival from Russia, Navy Chief Admiral Robin Dhowan has said that the aircraft carrier is fully operational with an adequate number of pilots now qualified to operate from the floating airfield.

Speaking with The Indian Express, Dhowan shared that the Indian crew has now been fully trained and the carrier is ready to conduct operations. “The ship is now operationally deployed and our pilots have been conducting regular flying operations. An adequate number of pilots have been trained,” he said, adding that the training was initially carried out by qualified flight instructors from Russia.

The Navy Chief, who took over charge in April after weeks of uncertainty due to the sudden resignation of Admiral D K Joshi after a spate of accidents, expressed satisfaction at the smooth sail of the aircraft carrier from Russia to India and said that the Navy was satisfied with the warship.

While he did not comment on when the Vikramaditya would be ‘dedicated to the nation’, Dhowan said that two major inductions are planned to be carried out in the coming weeks — the first P 28 anti-submarine corvette built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers to be commissioned at Vizag and the first to the Kolkata class stealth destroyers that is to be commissioned in Mumbai shortly.

Sources said the navy has proposed that the commissioning ceremony for the warships be presided over by a senior minister, as has been the norm. A visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to India’s largest warship, the Vikramaditya, is also in the offing and could be his first visit to a major military asset, besides a tour of the Siachen glacier.

Admiral Dhowan has also overseen flying operations on the aircraft carrier in May during a visit to the Western shores. The Vikramaditya participated in its first training exercise off the Goa coast in the first week of May along with ships of the western fleet.