Chapter 403 J-10, take off! (Please give me a monthly ticket~)
Two days later, it was early morning on the day of the first flight.
The stands set up next to the runway of the test flight station were crowded with people. From the top leaders to the technical representatives sent by the Air Force, everyone was eagerly looking forward to the first flight of China's first independently designed and manufactured third-generation aircraft.
About an hour ago, when it was just dawn, a thin morning fog appeared over the airport, which made everyone worried about whether the first flight could proceed smoothly. However, as the sun rose, the fog It was quickly dispersed, and the weather finally returned to the fine weather mentioned in the forecast.
In the final assembly workshop, due to the experience of previous ground tests, the cooperation between the staff of Factory 132 and the flight test station was already familiar, and the front wheels of the aircraft were quickly fixed on the special traction On the car's clamp.
Song Wenchong and Xue Chishou both wore suits for the first time.
The two of them, who are normally unprepossessing and unkempt because they often come in and out of the factory, really look a bit dignified once they dress up.
An engineer trotted over from not far away:
"Report, the inspection work before the first flight of the No. 1001 prototype of Project 10 has been completed!"
said Wan handed over a document he was holding.
Chief flight test engineer Xin Xiaowen, chief designer Song Wencong, chief engineer Xue Chishou and aircraft assembly director Xu De signed their names in turn.
Looking at the prepared plane in front of him, Xue Chishou said only two words with mixed emotions:
“Let’s go!”
With his voice At the command, the aircraft tractor made a low roar, and then towed the 11-ton aircraft to start lightly——
Since the flight was not expected to last too long, in order to reduce the take-off weight, just Filled with less fuel.
Even after the pilot gets on board, the actual thrust-to-weight ratio of the aircraft will exceed 1.1.
Song Wencong stared at this fighter plane that he had put all his efforts into for the past fifteen years, and the corners of his eyes turned slightly red.
In fact, since he became the chief designer of Project 10, he has spent much more time with this aircraft than with his family.
Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that the J-10 is like a biological child to him.
The same goes for everyone involved in design and manufacturing.
Too many people have left all their youth, blood and even lives to Project No. 10.
“Let’s go, let’s go, don’t keep the people on site waiting too long.”
Similar to the first time prototype No. 1001 left the assembly shop for engine start-up testing , no one got on the bus that was ready next to them, but divided into two groups, left and right, and followed them along the taxiway.
Xue Chishou's 28-inch tire was punctured, so he couldn't ride at the front like last time, so he had to stand on the pedal next to the front of the aircraft tractor to clear the way for the aircraft.
However, these regrets were quickly dispelled after arriving at the test flight site——
Almost everyone on the viewing platform stood up in unison the moment they saw the plane appear at the end of the runway.
This is their recognition and respect for this aircraft and the developers of Project 10.
Chief test pilot Lei Qiang has been waiting here for a long time.
The night before, he, who had always been of good psychological quality, suffered from insomnia for the first time.
For the test flight mission of Project 10, it would be absolutely false to say that I am not nervous at all.
During a routine physical examination before the flight just now, his heartbeat, which is usually in the early 60s, directly measured the highest number of 125.
However, this nervousness is not due to concerns about one's own safety, but about the aircraft.
As a member of the flight test team who has been involved in the aircraft design, development and manufacturing process since 1993, Lei Qiang’s feelings for the J-10 are no less than those of Song Wenchong and others.
Without saying a word, he gave a long military salute to Song Wenchong, Chang Haonan and other people who were following the J-10, and then turned around to board the plane.
Chang Haonan listened to Lei Qiang’s briefing before his rebirth, so he remembered very clearly that in the original timeline, Lei Qiang had made a somewhat disciplinary statement before the first flight——
"As long as the plane does not disintegrate in the air, even if it crashes, I will guarantee that it will fall on the runway!"
But this time, Chang Haonan, who had participated in the entire preparation for the test flight, did not hear it.
This made him feel somewhat relieved -
The previous prototype No. 1001 did have a lot of ups and downs before its first flight. Not to mention being seriously injured twice by engine accidents, during the taxiing test There were a lot of minor problems during the flight, so the test flight date was postponed for almost half a year.
Now, his research results have helped the aircraft smoothly reach its first flight.
The confidence of the test flight team has obviously been greatly enhanced by this.
......
On the other side, Lei Qiang, who sat in the cockpit of the aircraft, took two deep breaths and began to check the aircraft's movements and switches one by one according to the process.
After focusing on flying, his heart gradually relaxed with the movements of his hands.
This is the quality of a top test pilot. Not that they won't be nervous.
But they can overcome the tension.
"The ground inspection process is completed, prepare to start the engine."
Lei Qiang's completely calm voice came from the radio.
"Received, ready to start the engine."
Xin Xiaowen replied.
With a short and slight vibration, the unique roar of a jet engine sounded.
This usually high-pitched noise sounded like celestial music to the ears of everyone present.
The engine started successfully.
Soon, the auxiliary vehicles around the aircraft were gradually removed, and the first flight officially began.
In the cockpit, Lei Qiang pushed the throttle with his left hand while staring at the tachometer.
He pushed harder and harder than usual, like a rookie sitting in the cockpit of a fighter jet for the first time.
In the old aircraft of the past, including some early third-generation aircraft, the engine speed changes completely followed the action of the throttle valve.
If it is on a car, this may be called "driving fun", but it is definitely not for an airplane.
Flying an airplane only requires safety, not fun.
Changing the throttle position too aggressively or frequently may cause engine failure, so this requires the pilot to pay attention to the working condition of the engine at all times even in the most intense air battles, which is obviously a huge additional burden.
But on this aircraft, the speed at which the tachometer pointer rotates only becomes evenly faster, but it does not appear to be unstable at all due to the jerky movement.
Obviously, the engine stability control system in the flight control program is working.
"It's so perfect..."
Lei Qiang thought in his heart.
The increase in speed is a faithful response to the pilot's sudden push of the stick, which is the operation intention of violent acceleration.
The uniform acceleration is to help the pilot ensure the stable working condition of the aircraft.
For a veteran test pilot like him who has flown tens of thousands of hours and more than 20 models of aircraft, this function may not be too important.
But for the majority of ordinary pilots, it is simply a leap from manual transmission to automatic transmission.
And this automatic transmission is an AT transmission with smooth shifting logic and extremely perfect adjustment.
When the engine speed increased to 30%, he released the brake handle.
The plane began to accelerate lightly on the taxiway and soon reached the scheduled take-off position.
Out of the corner of his eye, Lei Qiang noticed through the rearview mirror in the cockpit that there were many people wiping tears at the end of the runway and on the management platform.
On another runway not far away, a Coach 8 seconded from a brother unit was also accelerating.
Sitting there was the chief flight companion test pilot Li Yong, and a photographer.
The Rongfei test flight station originally arranged only one JJ-5 for companion flight, but at Chang Haonan's insistence, it was changed to a model with better cockpit conditions and visual field conditions.
Chang Haonan, who has been a flight escort before, knows that with the cockpit view of the JJ-5 which is worse than that of the J-7, it is almost impossible to take any good photos.
On the one hand, after the first flight, these photos are still needed to confirm some situations.
On the other hand, it is Chang Haonan’s selfishness——
The business of military propaganda must be grasped in advance...
Lei Qiang pushed the throttle again, gradually increasing the engine speed to the maximum.
Prototype No. 1001 only used about 300 meters of runway to reach ground speed, even faster than the trainer aircraft following it.
Lei Qiang's right hand gently brought the lever backward, and the canards immediately rotated lightly, faithfully feeding back the head-up torque to the aircraft.
Just this one action fully demonstrated the agility of the aerodynamic design of the J-10.
Because almost at the same time as he pulled the lever, a feeling of overweight came, and prototype No. 1001 officially made its first flight!
There will be more in the afternoon, please beg for monthly tickets~
(End of this chapter)