The gloomy curtain is invading a certain part of North Sea waters in deep winter. The carrier-based helicopter from the first carrier-based air force under the Chinese Navy was performing the highly difficult exercise of night landing. Model "helicopter 9" flies swiftly into the deep sea air at low altitude, heading directly towards one of Chinese Navy's new guided-missile destroyer running in the sea.

Night landing exercise is another hard not to crack for China's carrier-based helicopter en route to the sea. The US realized such a dream at a price of crushing hundred of aircrafts. However in the past 20 years, the landing on the carrier at night was still a blank for the air arm of Chinese Navy.

At 17:58, superfine pilots Liu Jinkun and Zhao Luying took the lead in breaking the silence of the night, flying towards the preset waters. About ten minutes later, they reached the sea-area and discovered the target carrier. When at a distance of 2,000 meters away from the carrier the crew swiftly placed the landing gears down and locked the main wheel. At this moment, the commander Liu Jinkun pressed the communication button.

"7608 has discovered the goal and placed the landing gear. I am requesting for landing", demanded the pilot.

"Please pay more attention to the height and speed. Landing permitted," ordered Zheng Dianxiang, a meritorious pilot of the Chinese navy, to the carrier-borne Eagle coming from the night sky.

Received the order, Liu headed the helicopter working out an airway and slowed down the speed towards the spotlight on the deck. At 18:12, the helicopter "Eagle" descended slowly towards the deck, according to the time and again orders from the commander over the radio. Liu controlled the helicopter to suspend outside the left scuttle eight meters over the deck

At 18:15, the commander on the deck lifted the green signal tablet allowing Liu to land. Making full use of the twinkling moment of relative stability of the deck, Commander Liu decidedly and rapidly pulled the gearshift lever down and landed steadily the "Eagle" inside the marked circle on the deck.

By People's Daily Online