Legendary Captain

Chapter 268 Is this all you've been protecting?

Jiangcheng parking space for Xingyou 6371 flight.

Just as Xu Xian had predicted, although he had gotten up very early and was a little sleepy, the overall flight was not very difficult. In the first leg of the flight, except for a section with severe icing in the middle, the weather conditions were excellent, which was truly a stroke of good luck.

When Xu Xian arrived in Jiangcheng, the morning departure peak had just passed. After switching to approach control, the control directly guided the aircraft to the fifth wing using radar, making it a very relaxed and pleasant experience.

As expected, Jiangcheng's five-sided flight path was stable. After adjusting the trim and throttle, Xu Xian only needed to flick his finger to maintain the stability of the aircraft's five-sided flight path. The difficulty of operation was unimaginably low.

There was a rumor in the company that being assigned to fly to Jiangcheng for flight line inspection was easy and comfortable, but Xu Xian didn't understand it at the time. Now that he has experienced it firsthand, he truly understands.

With such favorable conditions, Xu Xian posed no challenge whatsoever, and he never gave Sheng Shilong any excuse to criticize him. So, after the passengers disembarked upon arrival, Sheng Shilong left the cockpit rather unhappily to rest in the first-class section, while Lu Xinyu diligently went down to conduct a walk-around inspection of the aircraft.

Xu Xian was the only one left in the cockpit.

As is customary, after the passengers disembark, the maintenance crew will perform some ground work and then come up to conduct some inspections, such as checking the hydraulic pressure and lubricating oil level. They have a work order and just need to check along the way.

Xu Xian quickly prepared the cockpit for his return while the passengers were disembarking. There was still some time before the passengers boarded, and this idle period was Xu Xian's rest period.

When the maintenance crew came up, Xu Xian was nestled in his seat playing on his phone. Hearing the crew member enter, Xu Xian conscientiously opened the SYM page for the crew member so that he could check various flight data.

"Thank you!" the maintenance worker said with a smile, made some notes, and casually asked, "Is the plane alright?"

"No problem." Xu Xian stretched and yawned, then nestled back into his seat.

While writing the work order, the mechanic said, "When we were circling the aircraft just now, we found some ice buildup on the control surfaces. Did you encounter any icing while you were in the air?"

"There's still ice?" Xu Xian scratched his head. "We did pass through a fairly severe ice-covered area when we were in the Rongcheng area, but it didn't last long. It disappeared once we entered the Jiangcheng area. Is the ice still there?"

From the moment the plane broke free of the icing zone until its final landing, approximately forty minutes elapsed. During those last forty minutes, there was not a single drop of precipitation, nor even a cloud intrusion. Logically, even if there had been some icing beforehand, it should have melted by now, given such a long period of time. However, surprisingly, some icing remained.

"Then that area must be heavily iced. You all have anti-icing measures on, right?"

Xu Xian: "Of course. The accumulated ice shouldn't have a big impact, right?"

"It's nothing. However, there's ice buildup on the important control surfaces that needs to be cleared before we can proceed. You'll need to remove the ice before you can leave."

Aircraft icing has a significant impact on flight safety, and there have been numerous serious accidents in civil aviation history caused by icing. Therefore, there are specific regulations for aircraft de-icing. For example, the Xingyou 6371 aircraft currently has icing on some important control surfaces, which means it cannot be released for flight and must be cleared before it can proceed.

"So you're just de-icing? No need for anti-icing?"

The maintenance crew laughed and said, "The weather at our airport is so nice, why would we need to worry about icing?"

Sometimes, when there is precipitation on the ground and the temperature is low, the aircraft not only needs to spray de-icing fluid but also additional anti-icing fluid. Otherwise, once the ice is removed, the rainwater will fall on the fuselage and refreeze under the low temperature, which would be a waste of effort.

However, Star Travel 6371 does not require anti-icing in its current condition. Jiangcheng Airport is cloudless, with no conditions for icing. Simply spraying some de-icing fluid to remove the existing ice on the aircraft will suffice.

"Okay then." Xu Xian asked, "So, when we need to contact the de-icing team later, will you be the ones contacting them, or will I contact the site team?"

At some airports, maintenance personnel can help call de-icing trucks, but at others, there are stricter regulations that require unified dispatch from on-site command. In such cases, the crew must first contact the on-site frequency to explain the situation before the on-site command allocates the de-icing truck. Xu Xian wasn't very familiar with the operating procedures at Jiangcheng Airport and could only consult the maintenance personnel.

"You should talk to the person on site; everything here is managed centrally."

"What's the live frequency?" Xu Xian was a little embarrassed; he really didn't know the live frequency of Jiangcheng Airport.

The maintenance worker's face stiffened: "I don't know either. Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Xu Xian laughed heartily: "Alright, we'll find a moment to ask them about letting us through later."

Sometimes, if you encounter an unfamiliar frequency, you can inquire on other frequencies at the airport, but you'll need to ask someone when they're not busy. In most cases, controllers on other frequencies will be happy to provide the relevant information.

"However, now that you mention it, I always feel that the plane is a bit difficult to control when I'm flying around the 5th. Is it related to icing?" Xu Xian asked.

During the fifth leg of the flight, the weather conditions were excellent, making the aircraft handling feel extremely clear and distinct. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Xu Xian felt that the aircraft wasn't very smooth to control. However, this unusual feeling was very faint and didn't affect the controls much. Xu Xian even thought he was mistaken, but now he thinks it might be related to icing on the control area.

"It's definitely related. The ice buildup has extended to the joints of the control surfaces. This ice will create some resistance when the control surfaces move, which will definitely make the steering wheel feel a bit rough."

In terms of responsive control surface force, Boeing's is relatively realistic, while Airbus's is simulated.

"So, if that's the case, we'll have to think about avoiding that area on the way back? It seems the ice accumulation there is even more severe than expected," Xu Xian pondered.

"Hehe, you can see for yourselves." The maintenance worker chuckled and handed the logbook to Xu Xian: "Apart from the ice buildup on the control surfaces, the aircraft is fine. Just call a de-icing truck from the site; it's not a big deal."

"How long does de-icing typically take?"

"I estimate ten minutes, it'll be quick."

"Ten minutes." Xu Xian calculated. "Okay, I'll let the passengers board earlier and close the cabin doors sooner to avoid delaying takeoff. I can't sign this form; you need the captain's signature. Go check the first-class section; he should be there."

In principle, this logbook requires the captain's signature; the first officer cannot sign it. Occasionally, with the captain's authorization, the first officer may sign it. However, since it's a checkpoint now, Xu Xian still thinks it's better to follow the rules.

The maintenance crew knew the rules; some companies were more lenient in this regard, while others were stricter, which was understandable. They didn't say anything, just took their notebooks and went to find the captain in first class.

After the maintenance crew left, Xu Xian thought for a moment and decided that if he wanted to take passengers earlier, it would be better to talk to the captain. If he made the decision on his own, it would be bad if Sheng Shilong had something to say about it.

Normally, this might seem like making a mountain out of a molehill. However, given that today's flight is being inspected, and it's an inter-regional inspection, we have to be cautious.

It's just a matter of moving your legs, taking a few steps, and asking a question; it's not difficult at all.

He craned his neck to look behind him and found that the maintenance crew was parked in first class, so Sheng Shilong must indeed be in first class.

After watching the maintenance crew exchange a few words with Sheng Shilong and then put the notebook back in the cockpit, Xu Xian asked the crew member, "Is the captain in first class?"

"Yes, I'm here!"

"Okay!" Xu Xian hooked the headphones hanging around his neck onto the side window handle, got up and went to find Sheng Shilong.

Upon entering first class, Xu Xian immediately spotted Sheng Shilong sitting in the first row. Sheng Shilong had a bright smile on his face, his eyes glued to his phone screen, as if watching a video. Xu Xian could even hear some of the audio playing from the speaker.

However, Xu Xian had no interest in what Sheng Shilong was looking at, so he didn't bother to find out. He planned to ask about the early boarding and then return to the cockpit.

"Instructor, we need to de-ice the ice in a bit. Would it be okay if we let the passengers on ten minutes earlier?"

Sheng Shilong was so engrossed in his phone that he didn't even react when Xu Xian spoke for the first time. It wasn't until Xu Xian repeated himself that Sheng Shilong heard him, and he smiled and said, "It's a small matter, you can decide for yourself."

"Oh, oh." Xu Xian realized that Sheng Shilong didn't seem to be ignoring him on purpose, but was genuinely focused on his phone and hadn't heard him at first.

To be honest, Xu Xian was initially completely uninterested in what Sheng Shilong was looking at, but now it's different. He's really curious about what it is that Sheng Shilong is watching with such interest.

Therefore, Xu Xian subtly tilted his head and glanced at Sheng Shilong's phone screen.

At that glance, Xu Xian's pupils contracted sharply. On Sheng Shilong's phone screen was Xu Qing's image. Xu Qing seemed to be saying something, but Sheng Shilong had turned the volume down low, and Xu Xian couldn't hear her at all.

Perhaps Xu Xian's unconscious act of peeking at his phone was a bit too brazen, because Sheng Shilong soon noticed Xu Xian getting closer and closer. He put his phone away and clicked his tongue as he looked Xu Xian up and down: "By the way, I just saw a very interesting news article."

Xu Xian frowned, instinctively feeling that Sheng Shilong was about to spout nonsense again.

"Xu Xian, what's your relationship with Xu Qing?" Sheng Shilong stared at Xu Xian with a half-smile, his words seemingly carrying a hidden meaning.

Xu Xian had already stood up straight, his brows furrowed even more deeply: "What do you mean?"

Although he didn't know what Sheng Shilong wanted to do, Xu Xian subconsciously felt that this guy was putting him down. But what was there to put down about his relationship with Uncle Qing?

Xu Xian felt that his relationship with Xu Qing was simply that of an elder and a junior, nothing special. However, he noticed that after Sheng Shilong said those words, some of the flight attendants sitting in first class started whispering among themselves.

The flight attendants were whispering to each other, so softly that Xu Xian could barely make out what they were saying. However, out of the corner of his eye, he sensed that the way they were looking at him was somewhat unusual.

Is there something I don't know?

It was as if everyone in this circle knew something, but he didn't. This feeling made Xu Xian extremely uncomfortable. What exactly had he missed?

Sheng Shilong's gaze suddenly shifted to Xu Xian's neck, and he abruptly asked, "Do you have a gold lock-shaped pendant?"

Xu Xian's expression changed instantly, and he immediately became alert: "What exactly do you want to ask?"

Upon seeing Xu Xian's reaction, Sheng Shilong's eyes lit up: "Haha, I didn't expect that! Xu Xian, you come from a prestigious family! I really didn't know! This just goes to show that like father, like son—the power of genetics!"

As he finished speaking, Sheng Shilong glanced smugly at the flight attendants sitting behind him and asked, "Isn't that the truth?"

The flight attendants behind him knew Sheng Shilong's identity and actually didn't want to talk to him, but they didn't want to openly disrespect him, so they could only give him a perfunctory reply.

Now that things had come to this, Xu Xian was no longer willing to waste words with Sheng Shilong. He looked directly at the flight attendants and asked coldly, "What happened?"

Despite his young age and relatively low skill level, Xu Xian's reputation precedes him, and he's quite well-known. A few of the younger flight attendants, startled by Xu Xian's glare, replied somewhat fearfully, "Brother, just search for Xu Qing online; there are reports about him."

"Xu Qing, Uncle Qing!" Xu Xian's breath hitched, sensing something was wrong. He didn't linger in first class and went straight back to the cockpit.

Even after Xu Xian left, Sheng Shilong's excitement hadn't subsided.

That's right, everything that happened at the X10 promotional event in Tianning has been reported as quickly as possible. Even someone as knowledgeable as Sheng Shilong knows that Xu Qing is finished. So, with Xu Qing gone, wouldn't the civil aviation market belong to Kunlong?

Thinking about the huge profits that Kunlong Aviation would bring to the market soon, these senior instructors with some experience would surely be able to get a share of the pie.

As for Xu Qing's final statement about re-establishing his position, Sheng Shilong considered it nothing more than a desperate, stubborn remark made in his death throes, and it didn't count.

What kind of trouble can a cripple whose right hand is sometimes unresponsive cause?

The future of civil aviation really does depend on Kunlong Airlines!

In the cockpit, Xu Xian followed the flight attendant's advice and searched for news about Xu Qing online. Sure enough, the search results brought a deluge of news.

Xu Xian randomly clicked on a news article and began to read it carefully.

Because of Xu Qing's insistence, Qingyuan Group's public relations department did not take any control measures against the news, allowing it to spread everywhere. As a result, in a short period of time, the internet was full of news about Xu Qing.

Most news reports about Xu Qing include video footage of the promotional event, which includes allegations of Xu Qing assaulting someone, a report of alleged nerve damage to Xu Qing's right hand, and questions about his illegitimate child.

Especially when he saw the content about the illegitimate child, Xu Xian felt a surge of anger that almost exploded from his chest.

"Kunlong Airlines, Kunlong Airlines!" This was the first time in Xu Xian's life he had ever hated a person and a company so much. Just from the video, anyone with a brain would know that everything was orchestrated by Kunlong Airlines. No wonder Sheng Shilong asked him about his relationship with Xu Qing earlier!

He knew what kind of person Xu Qing was, but Kunlong Airlines actually forced Xu Qing to take action in public, which showed how angry Xu Qing was at that time.

Just then, the video on the phone suddenly paused automatically, and shortly after, a phone call came in, with Han Qi's name displayed on the caller ID.

Xu Xian hesitated for a moment, but still answered the phone.

After the call connected, Han Qi's voice came from the other end: "Xu Xian, everything that Kunlong Airlines did has nothing to do with me. I will do my best to smooth things over. Give me some time."

It's clear that Han Qi also saw the reports about Xu Qing. Kunlong Airlines' actions against Xu Qing were purely commercial, but the part about slandering Xu Xian as Xu Qing's illegitimate son was simply an unexpected disaster for Xu Xian.

Han Qi certainly didn't believe the nonsense about the so-called illegitimate child, but he couldn't stop the unstoppable speed of news spread.

Now that Xu Qing's old injury to his right hand has been confirmed, the issue of Xu Qing's illegitimate child, which was raised at the same time, has gained more credibility in the eyes of the public. At least the evidence provided by Kunlong Airlines is somewhat self-consistent.

Judging from the confidential press conference video of the Kunyang River emergency landing incident provided by Kunlong Airlines, Xu Qing vouched for Xu Xian with his own reputation—even a biological son wouldn't go that far. Who would believe that Xu Xian and Xu Qing had no connection whatsoever!

Moreover, the gold lock with its special significance is also a key point, making it impossible for others not to suspect anything.

Han Qi was well aware of the damage this incident would cause Xu Xian, which is why he called Xu Xian immediately, asking for his understanding and assuring him that he would stop Kunlong Airlines' actions.

But Xu Xian, already enraged, could no longer trust anyone from Kunlong Aviation. His voice, as if descending from the depths of hell, gradually rang out: "Is this all you've protected? You will all pay the price!"

(End of this chapter)