Zhang Chao, winner of the national honorary title of "People's Hero": Pursuing dreams and the sea and the sky, committed to deep blue

Zhang Chao, winner of the national honorary title of "People's Hero" and pilot of the carrier-based aircraft——

Dream of the sea and the sky, determined to be deep blue

■ People's Liberation Army Daily reporter Qian Xiaohu correspondent Zhao Xingquan Kang Chen

In mid-September, the Liaoning warship chopped the waves and sailed on the vast expanse of the sea.

A black dot appeared in the sky, a deafening roar from far and near, and a J-15 fighter jet accurately hooked the blocking cable and drew a huge "V" on the deck.

The landing commander couldn't help but sigh: "Another batch of new 'flying sharks' are listed!" Looking at the group of energetic young pilots in front of him, he seemed to see the "sunshine big boy" of that year - Zhang Chao.

Since childhood, Zhang Chao has been full of longing for the sky. With unremitting efforts, in March 2015, Zhang Chao became the youngest carrier-based fighter pilot of the Chinese Navy at that time, and opened the "afterburner mode" of flying to the aircraft carrier.

He completed the theoretical modification in 1 month after joining the carrier-based fighter unit; in 6 months, he caught up with the training schedule; in 10 months, he flew the J-15 fighter jet into the blue sky for the first time; as of April 2016, Zhang Chao had completed 93.24% of the first flight sorties on the ship. The assessment results of all courses are excellent.

April 27, 2016, an ordinary flight day. As always, Zhang Chao is conducting land-based simulated landing training.

At 12:59, Zhang Chao piloted the No. 117 J-15 fighter jet into the "ship" route. Lower the height, the rear wheel touches the ground, the front wheel touches the ground, glide... On the flight deck of the simulated aircraft carrier, known as the "black zone", the growth imprint belonging to Zhang Chao was once again recorded.

However, just as the fighter was taxiing for 2 seconds, there was a sudden fly-by-wire failure. The flight reference record shows that in the 4.4 seconds from the time the fighter called the alarm to the time of parachuting away from the plane, Zhang Chao's action was to push the pole to the end and save the fighter...

Zhang Chao collapsed a few feet away from his dream - if there is no accident, and there are 3 more days of training, he can fly on the Liaoning ship and realize his dream of sea and sky.

Zhang Chao is gone, but his spirit has always been with the cause of China's aircraft carrier-based aircraft-

Behind Zhang Chao, this "flying shark" unit, "Zhang Chao" went forward and followed the trail opened up by the hero with his life for the cause of carrier-based aircraft. Not long ago, a new batch of carrier-based fighter pilots successfully completed the daytime aircraft carrier qualification certification, and the training cycle was shortened by 36% compared with the past.

The traits of heroes are always so fitting. In March 2015, Yuan Wei and Zhang Chao were selected to be transferred to the carrier-based aviation unit as "transfer students". To this day, Yuan Wei still misses the years when he and Zhang Chao struggled together - they formed a pair of helpers, learned theory during the day, sorted out notes at night, recalled operations before going to bed, and caught up with the training progress of comrades-in-arms for more than two years in a year, from "transfer students" to "excellent students".

Heroize the rainbow sea sky. On July 10, 2017, Yuan Weizheng piloted the J-15 fighter jet for routine training. However, less than 1 minute after takeoff, the birds arrived suddenly. In the cockpit, the alarm lights flashed strobe, and the white smoke behind the left tail of the fighter was clearly visible.

"I must bring the plane back." At the moment of life and death, in order to protect the safety of people's lives and property, Yuan Wei did not hesitate to drive the plane to avoid the dense crowd. At this time, he was not alone in the battle. In 10 minutes and 57 seconds, he received more than 50 instructions, completed hundreds of operations, and successfully saved the fighter.

"Learn heroic deeds, be a hero to pass on, build a benchmark troop", in the "Flying Shark" unit, this is not just a slogan, but a real inheritance. Officers and men said that inheritance is the best remembrance.

Walking into the study room of the unit where Zhang Chao was before his death, the officers and men were discussing "what I learned from Zhang Chao and how to do the carrier-based aircraft business." After Zhang Chao's sacrifice, they set April every year as the "Month of Learning from Zhang Chao", set the heroic deeds of learning Zhang Chao as the first lesson for new recruits to enter the camp, and carried out the "Zhang Chao Cup" 10,000-meter long-distance running competition for many years. Every year on the Qingming Festival, we organize condolences to the relatives of martyr Zhang Chao and pay tribute to the tomb of martyr Zhang Chao...

"Although the hero is gone, the spirit lives on. In such a unit full of honor, I want to take zhang Chao's torch, practice hard and fly, and become a qualified aircraft carrier pilot at an early date. After watching the video of Zhang's superhero deeds, the new pilot Gao Ke wrote in his experience.

Although the hero is far away, the spirit of the "flying shark" is more and more shining——

On November 30, 2016, at the meeting of the Central Military Commission to posthumously award Zhang Chao the honorary title of "Pioneer of the Strong Army Pursuing Dreams and Seas and Skies", 12 newly selected carrier-based fighter pilots were officially included in the list.

In 2018, with the approval of the Central Military Commission, Zhang Chao, a "strong army pioneer chasing dreams and seas and skies", was added as a heroic model for the whole army.

In 2019, Zhang Chao was posthumously awarded the national honorary title of "People's Hero".

This year, on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Navy, the "flying shark" once again sailed with the aircraft carrier formation, and the people's navy pointed at the deep blue is the norm.

Follow the legend of the hero and go in the direction of your dreams. Over the past few years, groups of carrier-based fighter pilots have grown vigorously along the trajectory of heroic models, overcome one difficulty after another, bravely stood at the top of the tide of the transformation of a strong country and a strong army and a navy, and promoted the cause of our military's aircraft carrier-based aircraft to break through the waves.

Author: Qian Xiaohu Zhao Xingquan Kang Chen

Source: People's Liberation Army Daily