In 1978, I was admitted to Harbin Institute of Technology

Chapter 371 How can I sleep without watching it take off and soar, and then land safely!

"Everything is proceeding according to plan, and doing more wouldn't make much difference."

President Song looked at Xie Wei with surprise.

Since the prototype was produced, ground skiing tests have been conducted for more than half a year. All the problems that could be found through the skiing tests have been corrected, and there is no point in continuing.

"What I mean is to prioritize stability!"

Looking at the aircraft that he used to be unable to approach except at air shows, let alone see its internal configuration and structure, now it stood there quietly, like a young woman who had not yet put on her wedding dress and was not yet married.

Canard, delta wing, ventral air intake, and slightly drooping nose.

It's so captivating that you can't take your eyes off it.

The only thing that's off-putting is the yellow paint job.

But this is something that cannot be overcome.

Since the first J-8 prototype in 69, all domestically test-flown fighter jets have used yellow paint: the primer made by adding zinc chromate yellow paint to phenolic paint has strong adhesion, good sealing properties, and good rust prevention effect, especially with better bonding ability with metal skin materials such as aluminum alloy and aluminum-magnesium alloy on the aircraft surface.

Once the yellow primer is covered by other colors, it means the fighter jet has been successfully developed.

"It's all settled. Everyone is aware of the enormous impact an accident during the maiden flight would have on the entire project. We've done everything we can. From the very beginning of parts production, the team has checked every single part, every process, and every manufacturing procedure eleven times..."

Chief Architect Gu Haiyun explained to Xie Wei from the side.

Historically, Project No. 10 only had a chief designer, and the construction was handled by Factory 132. There was no position of chief construction engineer.

Harbin Institute of Technology started with the core machine project to implement a management method for complex engineering systems. Gu Haiyun, who was originally just a technical backbone transferred from Factory 112, demonstrated his management ability from the very beginning.

Xie Wei eventually reassigned him to a technical management position.

After the prototype manufacturing of Project No. 10 began, he was transferred from Harbin Institute of Technology to Factory 132 to serve as the chief construction engineer, and Xu Changshuai served as the deputy chief construction engineer.

Everything is for the sake of standardization!

Around the prototype, a dense array of work ladders were filled with technicians, all meticulously inspecting each and every rivet, even though they had checked them many times and knew the condition of each rivet under their responsibility by heart.

"That's not what I meant..."

Xie Wei was so excited that he couldn't express it.

The accompanying tension made his voice tremble slightly.

12 years!

If we follow the historical development pattern, and after accumulating experience in Project 10, with this additional feature still in place, achieving the J-20's maiden flight or prototype manufacturing around 2000 shouldn't be too much of a problem!

If the J-20 is launched ahead of schedule, then it means that the subsequent J-40, J-50, and a series of other fighter jets can all be launched ahead of schedule as well.

The US F-22 is only just beginning its development.

Everything was based on Project Ten.

"Xiao Xie, you should go and rest. You can't be of much help here. Everyone is excited, but we still have to get the work done."

General Manager Song saw the problem with Xie Wei and told him directly not to stay there and affect everyone's work.

"You guys go ahead with your work, I'll just watch from the side."

Why would Xie Wei want to leave?

In this world, he contributed a great deal to Project 10. The fact that it was able to make its maiden flight 12 years ahead of schedule was almost entirely due to his own efforts, and the hardships he endured are unimaginable.

The J-10, which has now made its maiden flight, will never again face the situation of its time when it couldn't even afford to eat at the table—the Su-27 has not yet been introduced, and it will take at least more than ten years to digest and improve it.

This means that in this era, the J-10 can serve as the mainstay of the Air Force and even the Navy for more than 20 years.

It's not an exaggeration to say that it was put into service with the military starting in 90.

"Then please don't bother us again."

President Song didn't want Xie Wei to stay by his side, even though Xie Wei had put forward many solutions to problems for Project No. 10, which greatly accelerated the research and development process.

But Xie Wei often asks questions that are uninformed to most people.

"Okay! You guys get busy! You guys get busy!"

Xie Wei stood quietly to one side, watching the design and construction teams conduct their final pre-flight checks against the blueprints.

"Xie Wei is in the testing workshop? What's he doing there?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Jinchuan, the director of Factory 132, frowned deeply. "Isn't this just delaying things?"

"It seems we'll have to wait until the plane takes off..."

Secretary Zhang Rushan said with a smile, "If it weren't for Xie Wei, Project No. 10 probably wouldn't have even started yet, not to mention that the Air Force and the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense have invested a lot in it."

Xie Wei, who was completely unknown to the outside world, was a figure of great influence to those within the organization.

"We even said we'd come over and talk to him to see what suggestions he has for the Super-7 project."

Ma Jinchuan said with some disappointment.

"We can only wait until after the maiden flight."

Zhang Rushan shook his head, "He probably doesn't have the mind to care about anything else right now."

The latter nodded.

Xie Wei stood in the workshop like an outsider, quietly observing without asking any questions.

"Everyone, take a break, drink plenty of water, and don't get heatstroke..."

Inside the workshop, members of the on-site medical team were busy directing everyone in the workshop who were conducting final checks for the maiden flight, but no one paid any attention to them.

"It's so hot!"

Xie Wei wiped the fine beads of sweat from his forehead, turned his head, and realized that the powerful fans in the workshop were not turned on at all.

Most of the people in the workshop were wearing vests, which were already soaked with sweat.

"Everyone, take a break, don't get heatstroke..."

The pleading voices of the medical staff that kept ringing out made Xie Wei start to get irritated.

Xie Wei ran over to Cai Yonghong, the workshop director, who was covered in sweat and whose vest was soaked and stuck to his body. He waited for Cai Yonghong to finish his work and asked him a question.

Why don't you turn on the high-powered fan?

Cai Yonghong glanced at the row of fans along the edge of the workshop, wiped the sweat from his brow, and said with a hint of resentment, "The powerful fans are blowing too hard. When we open the hatches for inspection, some unsealed areas are easily covered by dust blown up by the strong winds... During the previous taxiing test, dust got stuck on the sensors, causing system malfunctions... It took us almost ten days to find the problem..."

Xie Wei initially thought Cai Yonghong hadn't turned on the fan.

The feeling is that the dust blown up by the fan is affecting the delicate sensors.

"I heard that during the previous maintenance, dust blown out by the powerful fan stuck to the sensor and affected its performance. Was it not fixed?"

Xie Wei ran to General Song's side and saw that General Song was directing Lei Qiang in the cockpit to start up each system one by one for maintenance. Almost all the parts of the fighter jet's outer shell that could be opened were opened.

"Dustproof design was implemented. Our fighter jets need to be designed for takeoff and landing in field airfield conditions, so there will definitely be a lot of dust... Even with the lightest plastics, the overall weight of the fighter jet has increased by more than three kilograms because of this..."

"..."

Xie Wei didn't know what to say.

For the WS-6G, even an increase of just 100 grams in weight would be a disaster for the already optimal balance, requiring extensive calculations and modifications to ensure the aircraft maintains a balance between lift and gravity.

鸭翼能产生巨大升力，如此的气动布局在涡扇-6G最大加力推力只有138.3千牛、中间推力83.85千牛的推力、7.05的推重比下，让歼-10最大起飞重量达到18225公斤。    比谢威原本世界的歼-10最大起飞重量减少了将近1000公斤。

But this happened more than ten years ahead of schedule!

Adding more than three kilograms means carrying less fuel or weapons by more than three kilograms.

"Don't worry, our fighter jets have an empty weight of only 7685 kilograms, a theoretical maximum range of 2800 kilometers, and a combat radius of 1150 kilometers, which is more than enough..."

Seeing Xie Wei frown, President Song comforted him.

The performance of the prototype designed and produced has far exceeded the earliest expectations.

"I'm not worried about the weight, but about adding more sensors in future improvements. Ultimately, it's because our integrated circuit manufacturing level is too backward."

This is not a problem with the fighter jet design team.

Integrated circuits, especially large-scale integrated circuits, are now constrained by the technology of lithography machines.

The general-purpose sensors that will be available for 9.9 yuan with free shipping decades from now not only cannot match the performance of those sensors today, but are also much larger in size and have much higher environmental requirements.

"Let's improve it gradually. Haven't you always said we should solve the problem of having a son first? Now that we have a son, we won't be afraid of not being able to raise him, right?"

President Song looked at Xie Wei and said with a wry smile, "You're too nervous."

"no!"

Xie Wei denied it repeatedly, then changed the subject, pointing to a huge and eye-catching network diagram on the wall covered with small red flags, "With this network diagram, there's nothing to worry about..."

The project network diagram hanging on the wall was created after Harbin Institute of Technology produced a full-size metal prototype model. Based on the school's complex engineering system management methods, a project network diagram with thousands of engineering nodes was developed. Each node was marked with a green flag after completion, a yellow flag for problems, and a red flag for design modifications.

In this way, all the milestones of the entire project become clear at a glance.

By using the various colored flags on the master project network diagram, managers and technicians can know the progress of the entire project and identify where the progress is stalled.

Each relevant department has its own subsystem plan network diagram for its project.

Every component entering the workshop must have complete documentation, from the batch number of the raw materials to the process documents for each step. Each step must be signed and stamped by the first inspection, patrol inspection, and final inspection personnel, along with various data.

If none are found, they should all be returned to their original units.

If any information is incomplete or the data does not meet the design requirements, simply put up a small red flag.

In this way, the management of the entire project becomes incredibly clear and transparent, and the person in charge can keep track of the specific progress.

"You know what, the network diagrams that Gu Haiyun designed are really useful for complex projects!"

General Song remarked with emotion, "If the J-9 had such a planning network diagram back then, the progress would have been at least a third faster, and we would have been able to clearly identify the specific problems and focus on developing the relevant technologies..."

Speaking of this huge project network diagram, which clearly reflects the progress of the entire project, General Manager Song recalled the chaotic management of the J-9 fighter jet back then.

It is an objective fact that technical specifications are constantly changing.

However, the same applies to chaotic project management.

"It's also usable in terms of design. The school is developing a related engineering management system based on it, and then the computers of various departments will be networked, making the progress clearer."

The two talked, seemingly forgetting the heat.

It's only the end of June, but the weather in Chengdu is already unbearably hot and humid.

The chosen date for the maiden flight was July 1st, the birthday of the Communist Party of China.

Some people suggested that the test flight be held before National Day. There are still several months to go, and the taxiing test has been going on for more than half a year. Delaying it any longer would only be a waste of time. It is more important to conduct the test flight as soon as possible to obtain important flight data, which will provide parameters and basis for subsequent design modifications.

The entire night was spent powering on all the avionics systems inside the prototype of Project No. 10 and thoroughly checking them all.

No one slept until dawn.

"Have a different team and check everything again! Make sure there are no oversights that could cause problems during the maiden flight!"

After receiving the report, General Manager Song, whose eyes were bloodshot, issued another order.

Therefore, all the flags on the network diagram were removed, and the inspection began again from the most basic systems.

He didn't leave.

Xie Wei did not leave either.

Even Gu Haiyun and Xu Changshuai did not leave. Everyone stayed in the workshop, quietly watching the new batch of technicians conduct the 13th full inspection of this prototype, a miracle in the history of China's aviation industry, according to the blueprints and technical standards.

"President Song, Director Xie, why don't you go and get some rest?"

Qi Hongyu, the head of the medical team, urged the group several times.

The few remained unmoved.

Let's just stay here.

“We know to rest when we’re tired, Team Leader Qi, you should rest first.”

President Song said to Qi Hongyu, then glanced at Xie Wei with some dissatisfaction.

The on-site medical team was established at Xie Wei's request when the prototype was put into formal production. The doctors here are all from West China Hospital and have rich clinical experience.

Often, the technical team felt that the medical team was a huge hindrance.

Fortunately, Xie Wei did not require the 132 technical team to take attendance for each research lab and project group every day like Harbin Institute of Technology, or to impose a circuit breaker mechanism for exceeding working hours, and even deduct research and development funds.

More than twenty academicians at Harbin Institute of Technology were rendered powerless by Xie Wei—as long as Zhang Mingqiu didn't follow the attendance requirements and spent too much time in the lab, even if he was constantly berated by the academicians, the deducted funding would not be returned.

"Teacher Qi, you should go and rest. Although we're not of much use here, how can we sleep until we see this amazing machine take to the skies!"

Xie Wei sighed.

He wasn't sleepy at all, even though he was quite tired.

"Yes! I can't fall asleep until I see it take off and land safely!"

President Song nodded hurriedly.

"Then you should drink this glucose right away!"

Qi Hongyu was helpless. In recent years, no one who entered this workshop would leave until their work was completed.

Didn't you see those rows of folded cots and rolled-up mats along the edge of the workshop?

As the head of the on-site medical team, the phrase she said most often when she entered the workshop was, "Take a break, rest a bit before continuing."

Nobody ever paid any attention.

At its peak, five people collapsed due to overwork.

Later, having no other choice, she applied to her superiors for glucose, which improved her situation somewhat.

"Leave it to the other comrades; I don't need it."

Xie Wei shook his head.

"I don't need it either..."

"If you want to stay here, you all have to drink, then find a place to sleep for a while. We'll stay here and keep watch!"

Just as President Song finished speaking, Long Yaohua's voice rang out from behind.

As a result, a few more people joined in keeping watch.

(End of this chapter)