Legendary Captain

Chapter 227 Perilous Situation (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

The moment the radar display of Star Travel 6333 disappeared from the screen, everyone at the Rongcheng Control Center and the Star Travel Operations Control Center was stunned. A moment later, hysterical roars erupted from both sides.

"Where are they?! Where the hell are they?" Chen Yuan's lips were trembling, an indescribable and immense fear gripping his heart.

It is extremely rare for an aircraft's radar identifier to completely disappear from the screen, which involves the working principle of air traffic control radar.

Air traffic control radar consists of two systems: primary radar and secondary radar.

Primary radar, also known as reflective radar, operates on a very simple principle and does not require the aircraft to respond to the radar pulse. Primary radar is mainly divided into three categories: airport surveillance radar, airport ground detection equipment, and airway surveillance radar.

Airport surveillance radar is a type of radar that covers a range of 100 nautical miles in the airport area and approach area. It primarily serves tower controllers and approach controllers.

Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASD) is the radar with the smallest power and range among the three types of primary radars. It typically only covers an area of ​​one mile, meaning it only monitors the ground area of ​​the airport.

Controllers can use this to monitor vehicles and aircraft on the ground, facilitating ground operations. Some aircraft transponders use ground modes in conjunction with this radar. However, this airport ground detection equipment is quite expensive, and only airports with very high levels of ground activity are equipped with such radar systems.

Finally, there's the most powerful and widest-coverage airway surveillance radar, which is the radar currently used by the Chengdu City Air Traffic Control Center. This type of radar can monitor a vast airspace with a radius of 250 nautical miles and an altitude of 13,000 meters. Area controllers rely on this type of wide-area radar to allocate radar spacing for aircraft within the controlled area.

Compared to primary radar, the emergence of secondary radar represents the most significant technological advancement in air traffic control.

Secondary radar, or more accurately, air traffic control radar beacon systems, were originally used by the military for identification friend or foe (IFF) systems. However, after being modified for civilian use, they have been widely used in civil aviation control.

A crucial component of secondary radar is the aircraft's transponder. This transponder receives pulse signals from the secondary radar and responds accordingly, providing information such as the aircraft's identification number and altitude.

With this technology, controllers can identify various information about an aircraft in the shortest possible time.

Sometimes, the aircraft's transponder may malfunction. In such cases, the secondary radar of air traffic control will not respond to the aircraft's inquiries, and therefore the aircraft information will not appear next to the aircraft's radar marker.

However, even if the aircraft's transponder is malfunctioning, the primary radar can still detect the aircraft's location. This is because primary radar is a radar device that exists independently of flight responses.

Modern air traffic control typically uses primary and secondary radars in combination.

Even if the aircraft malfunctions and the transponder also fails, at most the secondary radar will be ineffective and unable to display aircraft information, but the primary radar should remain unaffected.

In this situation, there should also be a radar marker on the screen that has no information.

However, now even that radar marker is gone!

Of course, for such a highly sophisticated device as a high-powered radar, unexpected malfunctions are not impossible. However, there is an even simpler and more direct guess.

The plane has disintegrated! It has crashed! It's broken into thousands upon thousands of pieces, how can it still be seen on radar?

This is a very straightforward inference, and it is at least much more likely than a malfunction in the airway monitoring radar.

Not to mention that airway surveillance radars undergo regular inspections and maintenance and rarely malfunction, even if a malfunction did occur, why did the radar signals of other aircraft remain unchanged except for the disappearance of the radar beacon pilot of Xingyou 6333?

Is the air traffic control radar selectively blind? Is it simply unwilling to scan Star Travel 6333? Perhaps this can only be taken as a joke.

"Chief, our radar?" This was the first time the controller had ever seen an aircraft's radar indicator completely disappear. He'd heard from his seniors that such a complete disappearance of the radar indicator strongly suggested a crash. However, the controller dared not utter the words "crash," as it was a highly taboo subject in air traffic control. Therefore, he instinctively directed the cause to the radar.

Chen Yuan's somewhat confused thoughts were pulled back by the controller's words. It wasn't just the controller encountering this situation for the first time; he was in the same boat.

"I'm so frustrated!" Chen Yuan was about to utter a curse when he suddenly remembered that Shi Lanxi and Ye Jing were still nearby, so he swallowed it back.

"Expand the cleared area, get the technical department to come and check it out as soon as possible, what else is there?" Even Chen Yuan, who was usually calm, was starting to panic.

The current location of Xingyou 6333 is unknown. It may have crashed, or it may not have. What if some strange reason has blocked Xingyou 6333's radar signal? Therefore, they must assume that Xingyou 6333 is still flying, but they don't know its exact location.

In this situation of completely unmanned flight, a sufficiently wide airspace must be left for Xingyou 6333. Currently, the air conditions over the Chengdu area are not good, with a large amount of cumulus cloud. Under normal circumstances with relatively good visibility, other aircraft can use their lights to identify collisions, but now? If two aircraft collide head-on, they probably won't even be able to react in time.

If Xingyou 6333 did indeed have a problem, then they would have to consider whether the TCAS system was functioning properly. Therefore, based on the principle of preparing for the worst, Chen Yuancai requested the controller to allocate a larger free airspace for Xingyou 6333.

The air traffic controllers, who were already in a difficult situation, felt like they wanted to die when they heard that the airspace to be cleared was to be expanded further.

"Director, even if the restricted area can be opened, it can only barely accommodate the remaining planes. If anyone else tries to squeeze in, there's simply no room!"

To be honest, the restricted area within Chengdu isn't very large. Even if it's temporarily opened, it only barely creates a small to medium-sized clear airspace for Star Travel 6333. Expanding the clear airspace further would require opening restricted zones. However, all restricted flight zones are highly classified; they can't be opened so easily.

The controllers were truly at their wits' end this time!

Chen Yuan paced anxiously in circles: "Um... um, contact the Qianyang Air Traffic Control Center and ask them to help divert some of the planes from the southern border area."

Each control area isn't entirely clearly defined; sometimes there's overlap. For example, the southern part of the Rongcheng control area partially overlaps with the northwestern part of the Qianyang control area. Theoretically, the Qianyang control area can receive some aircraft from the Rongcheng control area.

"Director, what about the north side?"

Chen Yuan waved his hand: "Isn't the north the area under Jincheng's control?"

"Chief, have you forgotten something?" the controller suddenly said.

Chen Yuan was taken aback: "What do you mean? What's the problem?"

"At your Western Region Control Center's party a few days ago, you didn't beat up the director of the Jincheng Control Center, did you?"

"Alright, alright!" Chen Yuan quickly stopped the oblivious controller from speaking. If Shi Lanxi and Ye Jing found out, things would get out of hand.

Not long ago, several control centers in western China, including Jincheng, Dianyun, Rongcheng, Qianyang, Hechuan, and Shangdu, held a large get-together. Everyone was enjoying the food and drinks, but Chen Yuan had a grudge against the director of the Jincheng control center. After a few drinks, things got heated, and what started as a verbal argument escalated into a physical fight.

Chen Yuan was tall and strong, and he beat the director of the Jincheng Control Center so badly that he was seeing stars. It was only after the directors of other control areas separated the two of them.

With all these old and new grudges combined, it would be a miracle if the Jincheng Control Center could help them.

Seeing Chen Yuan's growing exasperation, the controller quickly stopped talking, but after a long pause, he still asked timidly, "Sir, what about us then?"

Chen Yuan smacked his lips, rubbed his stubble, and said resolutely, "I'll call him myself. At worst, I'll go to Jincheng tomorrow and beat him up!"

With a resolute air, Chen Yuan took out his phone.

Shi Lanxi and Ye Jing both twitched their lips. Judging from Chen Yuan's posture, they thought he was going to die a heroic death! Little did they know that he was just making a phone call.

But Chen Yuan, who had just taken out his phone, suddenly froze, then let out a soft "Huh?": "Do you think using military radar would be useful?"

Ye Jing was taken aback: "Director Chen, you want to access military radar?"

Chen Yuan snapped his fingers: "Let's assume Xingyou 6333 didn't run into trouble. Then it can only be that our radar is malfunctioning, or the radar signal isn't strong enough and is being blocked by something, which is why we can't detect Xingyou 6333. Either way, our radar is useless. So why not turn to the military radar, which has higher power and accuracy?"

Although military and civilian radars are similar in basic principles, military radars are far superior to civilian radars in terms of detection efficiency, accuracy, and range.

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"Is the Rongcheng Military Region your family's business?" Ye Jing rubbed her temples, unsure how to respond to Chen Yuan's question.

Making the Chengdu Air Force suspend its exercises and temporarily open the restricted area was already excessive. To then ask them to use their radar is ridiculous. Do they think the Chengdu Military Region is the backyard of the Chengdu Air Force Control Center?

At this moment, Chen Yuan let go of his inhibitions and laughed heartily: "The military and civilians are one family, so let's not stand on ceremony. Since the restricted area is open, it's no big deal to use the radar a little!"

"By the way?" Ye Jing gave a wry smile. "Director Chen, I didn't expect you to be such an optimist."

Suddenly, Shi Lanxi tugged at Ye Jing: "You can't say that. Whether you can do it is one thing, whether you want to do it is another! Since Director Chen has come up with a solution, even if it's a bit absurd, it's better than sitting here helplessly. Besides, what if it succeeds?"

"Mr. Shi, shall I personally contact the Rongcheng Military Region?"

Shi Lanxi waved her hand: "Go, go!"

Watching Chen Yuan run away quickly, Ye Jing shook her head: "Old Shi, are you still going to play along with his nonsense?"

"How is this nonsense? Decades ago, our civil aviation was still under the Air Force. We were practically family. What's wrong with helping out when it's an emergency?"

Back then, China's civil aviation industry was in its infancy, like a young seedling. It was only under the protection of the Air Force that it was able to grow strong before its organizational structure was separated. Therefore, the older generation of civil aviation workers felt that the Air Force was like one of their own, and did not feel that the Air Force was a world apart.

Upon hearing Shi Lanxi echo Chen Yuan's words, Ye Jing simply smiled helplessly and said nothing more.

Tongtai Chemical General Manager's Office.

The fat general manager, traumatized by Qin Zongyang's beating, was already cowering in a corner, trembling, not daring to even breathe.

Compared to the terrified, overweight general manager, Lu Xinyu gripped his phone tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. His conversation with Xu Xian wasn't just heard by their own operations control center; the Rongcheng control center could also eavesdrop. But throughout the entire exchange, Xu Xian had completely disregarded him, leaving him utterly humiliated.

"Qin Zongyang, I didn't expect you to have such a good disciple!" Lu Xinyu forced a cold smile. "Trying to regain your lost face? You've got quite the nerve!"

Recalling the menacing aura Qin Zongyang had displayed when he brutally beat the fat general manager, Cao Jinwen quickly reassured Lu Xinyu, "President Lu, that was Xu Xian's statement, it has nothing to do with Lao Qin!"

He was genuinely afraid that Qin Zongyang would lose his temper and accidentally beat up Lu Xinyu as well.

Little did he expect Qin Zongyang to retort sharply: "I, Qin, have been useless in my entire life, but my little disciple is the only one I can be proud of!"

"You!" Lu Xinyu was so angry that he almost couldn't catch his breath.

Just then, Cao Jinwen's phone rang. He took it out and saw it was the operations control center's number. He quickly answered, "What's wrong?"

"Mr. Cao, I couldn't get through to Mr. Lu, so I had to call you."

Cao Jinwen glanced at the phone that Lu Xinyu had smashed to the ground in his rage, but instead of explaining anything, he asked again, "Get to the point."

"Star Travel 6333's radar signal is gone."

"What?" Cao Jinwen was so shocked he almost dropped his phone. His voice unconsciously became shrill: "Say that again!"

The same answer came from the other end of the phone: "Mr. Cao, Xingyou 6333's radar signal is gone! We've contacted the Chengdu control center, but they can't see 6333's radar signal either. Mr. Cao, this is really serious!"

Initially, the operations control center lost the radar signal of Xingyou 6333 and assumed it was their fault. They then contacted the Rongcheng control center for verification, only to be told that they also couldn't see the radar signal of Xingyou 6333. At this point, the operations control center realized the seriousness of the situation.

This was no longer a matter that Ning Sheng alone could handle, which is why the operations control team hurriedly called Lu Xinyu. However, Lu Xinyu had just been so enraged by Xu Xian that he smashed his phone, so the call couldn't go through. Therefore, he had no choice but to call Cao Jinwen instead.

Now it was Cao Jinwen's turn to be struggling to catch his breath!

Seeing Cao Jinwen's seemingly dazed state, Qin Zongyang frowned: "Old Cao, what the hell's wrong with him?!"

At this moment, even Lu Xinyu, who was on the verge of exploding with rage, looked at Cao Jinwen.

"The radar signal for 66333 is no longer visible!" Cao Jinwen, in a state of extreme fear, could barely speak.

The previously tense atmosphere between Qin Zongyang and Lu Xinyu suddenly widened their eyes. Qin Zongyang grabbed Cao Jinwen by the collar and roared, "Cao Jinwen, if you can't speak properly, then shut your mouth!"

"Am I crazy to spout nonsense like this?" Cao Jinwen shook off Qin Zongyang's grabbing hand. "The operations control team just called. They can no longer see the radar signal for 6333, and they can't see it in Rongcheng either!"

Lu Xinyu was stunned for a moment, then ran out the door like a madman.

However, Qin Zongyang quickly came to his senses and ran outside, but was stopped by Cao Jinwen halfway.

"Old Qin, do you think 6333 is a good idea?"

Even at this moment, Cao Jinwen still couldn't believe that the 6333 radar signal had disappeared. If 6333 had crashed, the entire Star Trek would be gone.

"Bullshit!" Qin Zongyang shoved Cao Jinwen aside. "Even if you die, Xu Xian won't die!"

Ignoring Cao Jinwen's wild thoughts, Qin Zongyang rushed out the door as well.

After experiencing the blinding white light that nearly blinded him, Xu Xian's heart trembled violently. The burst of light he had just witnessed was none other than the effect of lightning strikes.

The light was so blinding that he couldn't pinpoint the location of the lightning, so he had no choice but to grit his teeth and continue flying forward and downward.

In the brief moment after the flash of lightning, both flight management computers simultaneously went black. With both FMCs failing, the navigation screens on both sides of him and the captain were covered with malfunction flags, providing absolutely no useful information.

Without a navigation page, in the current environment, Xu Xian has no idea where he is or which way he is flying.

That wasn't all. Xu Xian had noticed earlier that the airspeed and altitude displays on his side were different from those on the captain's side and the backup instruments.

This situation is extremely rare, because in most cases, there are two consistent sources of information. However, now the instructions from three sources are all different, and Xu Xian has no idea which one is reliable.

In abnormal checklists, there are ways to determine which information source is reliable. However, this requires consulting tables and going through a series of operations to obtain the result.

Judging from Xu Xian's current condition, how could he possibly have the time to calmly and peacefully complete the examination report?

In other words, Xu Xian not only doesn't know where he is, but he also has no idea what speed he's flying at or how high the plane is.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

At that moment, before Xu Xian could figure out how to determine the plane's location and status, he heard a series of muffled noises outside, as if something had hit the plane.

Xu Xian turned on the fixed landing lights and saw an unidentified object, about half the size of a fist, hurtling towards him and smashing straight into the windshield. The windshield shattered instantly.

Xu Xian's heart clenched at the sound of shattering. Staring at the dense, spiderweb-like cracks on the right windshield, Xu Xian's heart pounded nervously.

He shakily reached out his left hand and touched the windshield. The smooth, mirror-like surface his fingertips brushed against made Xu Xian breathe a slight sigh of relief.

It appears that only the outer windshield glass is broken!

The aircraft's windshield has three layers. If only the outer layer of the windshield is broken, it can still fly.

But as soon as Xu Xian could make out what was coming towards him by the landing lights, the slight joy he had just felt vanished instantly.

What just hit the windshield was none other than hailstones, hailstones the size of half a fist!

"Damn it!"

If the windshield of this plane gets hit by a few more hailstones, who knows if it can withstand it?

Before Xu Xian could finish dealing with the hail, as the landing lights came on, he noticed something else while observing the windshield.

Startled, he freed one hand to turn on the large wing's light, and in a moment of clarity, glanced at the right wing. Just one glance, and Xu Xian's heart sank.

A thick layer of ice had accumulated on the leading edge of the right wing!

Actually, a considerable amount of ice was already visible on the windshield wipers. However, Xu Xian thought that ice accumulation in thunderstorm clouds was perfectly normal. But now it seems he underestimated the extent of the ice accumulation in the thunderstorm cloud area.

Even with engine and wing anti-icing activated, it was still impossible to stop the icing process on the aircraft. Therefore, errors in flight data were to be expected.

Most flight data is obtained from various probes, such as pitot tubes, full-temperature probes, and static pressure inlets. However, severe icing on the aircraft can cause blockages in many of these probes, which will inevitably lead to problems with the flight data obtained from them.

The probe on the aircraft is heated, indicated by a PROBE HEAT switch. Xu Xian kept the probe heating switch on at all times, but this still couldn't stop the icing buildup on the probe. The icing from the outside was too severe to be resolved simply by heating the probe.

Still troubled by the uncertainty of flight information sources and the hail problem, Xu Xian suddenly felt the plane being affected by airflow, experiencing a violent yaw. The plane's bank angle reached a full sixty degrees in a short period of time!

"BANK ANGLE! BANK ANGLE! BANK ANGLE!"

Amid a series of bank angle warnings, Xu Xian struggled to level the plane back to its original position. Before he could even catch his breath, he heard a very faint sound of a power switch switching on, and the main warning light came on!

Looking up again, I realized that the generator driven by engine number two had disconnected, and the power disconnection light was on.

Subconsciously, Xu Xian reached out to reconnect the engine power switch and try to connect the generator driven by the second engine.

Before Xu Xian could even touch the No. 2 engine switch with his left hand, a series of very faint sounds, like the sound of an old-fashioned television being turned off, went completely black on all six display components: the captain's inner and outer display components, the co-pilot's inner and outer display components, and the upper and lower display components.

At this moment, Xu Xian didn't even know how much thrust the engine was.

Just then, Xu Xian's outstretched left hand froze in mid-air, his ears twitched, and his face instantly darkened.

There's something wrong with the engine sound!

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(End of this chapter)