Xie Xizhuo (file photo)
Xie Xizhuo steps out of the cabin to give an interview (photo by Xinhua News Agency)
Yesterday at 11 a.m., Anhui Province's first general aviation helicopter conducted its maiden flight ceremony at Hefei Luogang Airport. The pilot who took on the maiden flight mission was Xie Xizhuo, who graduated in March this year from the Xinjin branch of the Civil Aviation Flight University. They are also part of the first batch of female helicopter pilots trained specifically for the national civil aviation system.
Low Visibility During Maiden Flight, No Problem for the '85 Generation' Beauty
"The maiden flight ceremony officially began at 11 a.m. Due to low visibility, our flight time was approximately only one hour, but the entire flight process was very relaxed and smooth." Although several hours had passed since the maiden flight ceremony, Xie Xizhuo was still unable to contain her excitement over the phone.
Xie Xizhuo is a genuine Sichuan girl, born in 1987, from Guanghan, and is a graduate of the Class of 2006 from the Civil Aviation Flight University. She switched from the air stewardess major to a flight-related major during her sophomore year.
Xie Xizhuo said that after graduating from the Xinjin branch of the Civil Aviation Flight University in March this year, she, along with fellow beautiful pilots Ma Yang and Su Shan who graduated from the same school and period, as well as two male pilots, came to Anhui Dinghong General Aviation Company, officially starting their jobs and receiving relevant training.
To Tame Small Aircraft, Return to Xinjin for Transition Training
During their days studying at the Xinjin branch of the Civil Aviation Flight University, the usual training aircraft for Xie Xizhuo and her colleagues were blue-and-white Bell 206 models. However, upon arriving in Anhui, they encountered a cute "little guy."
This so-called "little guy" refers to the Schweizer 300CBI, which arrived in Hefei at the end of November this year. Compact in size, it has only two seats, about half the size of a QQ car body, with an instrument panel in front of each seat.
Faced with this unfamiliar "little guy," Xie Xizhuo and Su Shan were not worried. "We have already made preparations. In October, we went back to school for transition aircraft training," Xie Xizhuo said. "Moreover, the operating systems and principles of helicopters are largely similar. As long as we train hard regularly, handling them is no problem."
According to Xie Xizhuo, after the successful maiden flight ceremony, their "blue sky dream" will officially take off. "Medical rescue, aerial sightseeing, urban firefighting, forest patrol, aerial photography, and even aerial weddings may all leave traces of our presence," said Xie Xizhuo.
The demand for helicopter pilots may see explosive growth
"Helicopter pilots in the academy are basically trained specifically for general aviation companies. Therefore, apart from the already graduated three female helicopter pilots—Xie Xizhuo, Ma Yang, and Su Shan—the academy currently has no other female helicopter pilots," said You Yi, the helicopter coach of the academy. "Unlike boys, girls are particularly meticulous, and their operational movements are gentle, making them very suitable for flying helicopters."
Additionally, relevant personnel from the academy predicted that "although China plans to gradually open up low-altitude airspace, the overall policy for opening is still unclear. Once these policies become clear, the demand for helicopter pilots in the general aviation field may see explosive growth."
By Hu Qiangwen, Morning Post Reporter; Photography by Li Guodong