The train driver in the courtyard

Dean Chen is in charge of the work with the Indian side.

He also has several fierce generals under his command, including Li Yunlong, and his reputation has risen even higher in recent years.

That's not all; the key issue is that Dean Chen has been stationed on the frontier and rarely returns to Beijing.

Now that he has seen Dean Chen, how could Li Aiguo not be surprised?
"I'm back in Beijing for a work meeting. I just heard you've come up with something new, so I made a special trip to check it out."

"Over the years, the mountain bikes and bulletproof off-road vehicles you've developed have been a great help."

Dean Chen stepped forward, took Li Aiguo's hand, and said these words as they walked into the studio.

The leaders of the Qianmen Locomotive Depot's workshop were astonished to see Dean Chen and Li Aiguo being so intimate with each other.

Once inside the courtyard, Dean Chen circled the small airplane and asked, "What is the maximum range of this airplane?"

"The current prototype has a range of 500 kilometers. If we increase the fuel tank size, it can easily reach 1,000 kilometers," Li Aiguo answered truthfully.

"What about the cost?" Dean Chen pressed, clearly concerned about the feasibility of mass production.

"The main reason is that the engine is more expensive. The fuselage and wings are made of ordinary aluminum. If we mass-produce them, the cost can be reduced."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Dean Chen's eyes. He turned his head and gestured with his chin to the group of people following behind him.

These were top experts drawn from Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, and research institutes directly under the Aviation Industry Bureau, who were originally ordered to verify the claim that "the small aircraft has superior performance."

After all, when they first heard the report from Commander Zhang, many people in higher-ups thought the locomotive depot was just bragging.

"You should investigate carefully first and thoroughly understand its performance."

The experts couldn't contain themselves any longer. Upon hearing this, they immediately dispersed. Some peered through the cabin door to examine the internal structure, some used calipers to measure the wing dimensions, and others surrounded Zong Xianfeng to inquire about the manufacturing details.

Li Aiguo had met these people at the conference years ago, so they were old acquaintances.

He immediately called upon Zong Xianfeng and the "wild car expert" to fully cooperate with their inspection.

"The fuselage layout is ingenious. It reduces weight while enhancing stability. Our research institute has simulated it several times, but we haven't dared to try this innovative approach!"

"And the aerodynamic design. Although I don't have the instruments to measure it, I'm sure the aerodynamics of this little plane are excellent."

"What's most remarkable is its sturdiness and durability. I wonder if these wings could be repaired on the spot if they were to get damaged on the battlefield?"

An engineer from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation looked at Li Aiguo and asked.

"Pretty much. We've also designed battlefield maintenance plans, with the simplest repair methods for different types of malfunctions."

As he spoke, Li Aiguo asked Zong Xianfeng to distribute the maintenance manual to the experts.

"If there's a hole in the fuselage skin, just remove an empty tin can, cut the sheet metal to be slightly larger than the hole, and fix it to the outside of the skin. It'll hold up until it flies back for a major overhaul, no problem at all."

"If a hydraulic hose or fuel line cracks, find a thick hemp rope in the mechanic's backpack, soak it in engine oil, and tightly wrap it around the leak. Then tighten it with thin wire, and finally apply grease to prevent moisture. This method can last for several hours of flight."

"If you puncture a tire while landing in the wild and there is no spare tire, first let the air out of the tire, then stuff strips of cloth into the puncture as hard as you can. This will barely allow the plane to taxi and take off."

A thick book containing over a hundred repair methods.

This was not Li Aiguo's original idea.

It was developed by our pilots in the 1970s and 80s through their own ingenuity and hardship.

The method may be crude, but it works very well.

The experts nodded repeatedly: "These are all very practical methods, and the materials needed can all be found on the battlefield. This thing can probably save a lot of small planes."

Dean Chen, who has been in command on the front lines for many years, understands best the difficulties on the front lines. He took the manual and flipped through two pages.

"Patriotism, has this booklet been named yet?"

"I haven't had a chance yet, but I'd like to ask the dean for his opinion."

"I think it should be called 'Simple Aircraft Maintenance Manual', it's straightforward and practical."

Dean Chen closed the manual and turned to his assistant, instructing, "These methods can be used on more than just this small plane."

Our fighter jets and transport planes can also be used in emergencies on the front lines. Let's quickly compile these plans and promote them throughout the entire army!

"Yes!" The assistant immediately took out his notebook and wrote it down.

The experts here have also completed the comprehensive testing and are reporting to Dean Chen.

"Dean, the small aircraft's performance fully meets the standards. It has a simple structure and high reliability. I suggest organizing large-scale production immediately! It would be even more practical if it could be equipped with weapons; machine guns can be mounted under the wings."

Comrade Li had previously tried using wooden bombs, and that idea was excellent; it perfectly met the needs of frontline reconnaissance and fire support.

Dean Chen nodded to the experts.

He turned to Li Aiguo and said, "Aiguo, you don't mind if I take the toy plane back and try it out, do you?"

"Of course I don't mind." Li Aiguo was very clear that for an aircraft to be mass-produced, there were complicated procedures to follow.

The most basic of these is conducting long-term test flights.

The test flight was once again handled by the Lanzi 806 team.

The test pilots were not the ones Li Aiguo knew, but two younger men.

The small plane was covered with tarpaulin and loaded onto a truck. The two pilots, after studying the operating manual, were preparing to leave.

Li Aiguo took out two newly made flight helmets from the box and handed them over.

"This is a flight helmet? It looks different, it seems lighter." The two test pilots immediately sensed something was wrong after taking the flight helmet.

"It seems to be able to be pressurized! Isn't this similar to the GSH-6A pressurized suborbital flight helmet from Big Brother?"

The layman looks at the excitement and the insider looks at the doorway.

The two test pilots studied the flight helmets for a while and instantly realized the level of technology involved.

Chief of Staff Liu, who was in charge of the test flight, also became excited after inspecting the helmet.

"Patriotic Comrade, did you also make this helmet?"

"That's right, this is the flight helmet we just developed. The oxygen supply adopts a mechanical-electronic semi-automatic control system with a built-in solenoid valve."

It also features a combined anti-G and oxygen supply function; when excessive pressure is detected, it increases the oxygen flow to ensure adequate blood supply to the brain, effectively reducing the risk of blackouts and fainting. Additionally, it has a drowning prevention function.

Li Aiguo took the helmet, put it on, and then connected it to an oxygen cylinder with a tube, and conducted a drill.

"In other words, this helmet can also actively increase the oxygen supply when the aircraft is performing high-G maneuvers?!"

Chief of Staff Liu became even more agitated.

Seeing his strong reaction, Dean Chen couldn't help but ask curiously, "Xiao Liu, is this helmet really that important?"

"It's more than just important, it's a lifesaver!"

Chief of Staff Liu took the flight helmet and became genuinely excited.

"Sir, we used to use the Type 56 flight helmet and KM-16 oxygen mask. Last year, the Industrial Bureau developed the TK-1 based on the GS-4 of our older brother, mainly for high-altitude flight of the J-7 aircraft. However, whether it is the Type 56, TK-1, or GS-4, they all have a major flaw: the pilot needs to manually turn on the oxygen pressurization."

He waved his hand and said, "During routine training, pilots keep an eye on the instrument panel and are always aware of the flight altitude, so there's nothing wrong with that."

However, in actual combat, especially when we test pilots are conducting high-maneuverability test flights, we often don't have the opportunity to actively activate oxygen pressurization.

“We also wanted to buy the GSH-6A pressurized suborbital flight helmet from Big Brother, but they wouldn’t sell it to us, no matter how much money we offered.”

"Now it's great. Thanks to Comrade Li Aiguo's work on the anti-G and oxygen supply linkage, our pilots are no longer afraid when entering high altitudes."

Chief of Staff Liu also waved his arms violently several times to vent his emotions.

Everyone understood Staff Officer Liu's feelings, and even Dean Chen took the initiative to applaud.

"I just overheard these two young comrades mentioning some kind of drowning prevention device. Aiguo, why don't you tell me what's going on?" Dean Chen was a little envious of the farmer at this moment, for he had actually taken on such a genius student.

Chief of Staff Liu's eyes were also fixed on Li Aiguo: "Aiguo, yes, yes, preventing drowning is also very important. After the plane crashes into the water, some pilots could have survived, but they lost the chance to be rescued because water flowed into their airways."

Amidst a multitude of watchful gazes.

Li Aiguo took the screwdriver from Zong Xianfeng and disassembled a device next to the visor of the flight helmet.

"The mask has an integrated mechanically triggered anti-suffocation valve at the bottom. When the person falls into the water, the water pressure pushes the valve to automatically close the oxygen circuit and open the miniature vent on the side."

Looking at the ingeniously designed device, Chief of Staff Liu could no longer hold back and hugged Li Aiguo tightly.

"Patriot, your helmet adds an extra layer of safety for the pilot!"

(End of this chapter)