Legendary Captain

Chapter 278 Sudden Malfunction: Asymmetrical Flaps

"Xu Qing!!!" Yun Shang's gaze sharpened slightly, and he slowly uttered a name through clenched teeth: "What you're doing is contempt for the Bureau, don't you know that? And you..."

Yun Shang raised his right hand and pointed it directly at Xu Xian, his words sharp and cutting: "What a clever scheme of switching the prince! You are one of the main culprits. Director Cheng and his gang acted so recklessly, and the bureau just turned a blind eye?"

Cheng Guangyu, the director of the Aviation Safety Department representing the authorities, sighed. His gaze swept back and forth between Xu Xian and Mei Tingting: "Is Xu Qing really on the plane?"

"Director Cheng, that's true. My husband is on the plane right now." Mei Tingting admitted this without any attempt to hide it.

Even though Cheng Guangyu had some guesses beforehand, his heart still pounded violently when he heard Mei Tingting admit it herself: "Ridiculous! What's Xu Qing's condition now? He can still fly, what if something happens to him?"

Mei Tingting said expressionlessly, "Since my husband says there's no problem, then there must be no problem."

Cheng Guangyu was extremely anxious, but he didn't want to argue too much with Mei Tingting, so he lowered his voice and said to her, "That landing maneuver is very difficult. Even Han Qi failed. Xu Qing has an injury in his hand, how can he complete it? There's also a Xingyou Aviation instructor on the plane right now, let him handle the landing. This matter hasn't escalated yet, let's just let it go and move on."

Mei Tingting knew that the director of the Aviation Safety Department had given Xu Qing a lot of face, and even said that as long as Xu Qing came down and didn't make a big fuss, he wouldn't be held accountable afterwards.

If others showed her respect, Mei Tingting would show it tenfold. She raised her right hand, pointed at the sun high in the sky, and said softly, "Director Cheng, my husband has always been an unchallenged sun since his debut. Now that he is setting in the west, that is his fate, and he will not refuse. But at this critical juncture, a petty person's dark cloud wants to prematurely obscure my husband's brilliance, which is unacceptable. Today, if he does not dispel that dark cloud, he cannot peacefully become the setting sun."

Mei Tingting's voice wasn't loud, but it contained boundless determination, and everyone present felt her unwavering resolve.

This time, Xu Qing seemed genuinely enraged.

Such a genius rose to prominence at an unimaginable speed, ultimately becoming the first rising star in the civil aviation industry, truly breaking through the traditional boundaries of civil aviation. In the future, Xu Qing's achievements will undoubtedly leave a significant mark on the history of Chinese civil aviation.

It is ironic that such a legendary figure was in danger of losing his integrity as he was about to retire.

Xu Qing was not a saint; even a clay figure has some temper, let alone Xu Qing, a living, breathing human being.

As she finished speaking, Mei Tingting's voice gradually rose, as if making a declaration: "My husband said he's never fought for anything in his life, but this time, he's going to prove himself!"

Everyone's expression turned solemn. These words weren't spoken by Mei Tingting, but rather relayed from Xu Qing. Anyone who heard them could sense the intense resentment within them.

"He's lived most of his life, and now he still has to fight for his pride." Cheng Guangyu sighed. "If he insists on doing this, then let him be. But if he really continues down this path, then your Qingyuan Group will definitely be punished, and possibly the maximum penalty."

Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Xu Qing's insistence on going down this dark path will naturally be punished. Moreover, this matter is truly absurd, and if he is to be punished, the punishment will be severe.

"Qingyuan Group will naturally accept." Mei Tingting lowered her eyes, indicating her willingness to accept.

"Your Qingyuan Group has already been having a tough time lately, and now you've pulled this stunt. How can you possibly survive?" Director Cheng shook his head and sighed.

Affected by the previous Xu Qing incident, Qingyuan Group's stock price has already fallen again and again. If it is further punished to the maximum extent by the authorities, it will only make matters worse.

"Director Cheng, a person lives for a breath, and even a Buddha fights for a stick of incense. Unless one is a saint who has seen through the world, who can escape worldly desires?" Mei Tingting said.

Clap clap clap!

Amidst applause, Yun Shang stepped forward with satisfaction: "Miss Mei is quite resolute, accepting the maximum penalty without hesitation. I admire you. Now that we've discussed the Qingyuan Group's issues, it's time to talk about the Wen Group's. This event, from personnel to venue to aircraft, was entirely provided by the Wen Group. To say that the Wen Group is clean is simply unbelievable."

The personnel and aircraft for this event were provided by Star Travel, and the venue, Hamchi Airport, is also under the Wens Group. It would be unbelievable that the Wens Group was unaware of this.

Wen Jingshu and Wen Changxing kept their eyes down, completely ignoring Yun Shang. Cheng Guangyu clearly didn't want to turn a pleasant observation meeting into an interrogation, so even though Yun Shang had drawn the fire to the Wen Group, Cheng Guangyu didn't follow suit.

Seeing that Cheng Guangyu remained silent, Yun Shang turned his attention to Xu Xian: "And you! You are utterly lawless! You must be severely punished to uphold justice."

Unlike Wen Jingshu, Xu Xian did not remain silent. From the day Yun Shang made trouble for Xu Qing, Yun Shang had been his enemy. He stepped forward, approached Yun Shang, and whispered in his ear, "Chairman Yun, where is your Han Qi?"

Yun Shang's expression changed drastically: "What do you mean?"

The fact that Han Qi submitted the notice of termination of employment has been kept tightly under Yun Shang's personal supervision, and there is absolutely no possibility of it being leaked. So why does it seem like Xu Xian knows about this?

"What do I mean?" Xu Xian sneered, "A tiger that has lost its claws and teeth still doesn't know how to restrain itself? Does it still think it's the king of the mountain?"

This can no longer be considered a hint; it's practically an explicit statement.

Yun Shang, who had been jumping around a moment ago, could no longer sit still. His face darkened, and he quickly shut his mouth. He didn't know if Xu Xian would really say something shocking if he continued.

Although Xu Xian and Yun Shang both knew what the other was talking about, others didn't. Just seeing Xu Xian whisper a sentence to Yun Shang, the arrogant Yun Shang from a moment ago immediately shut up, a change that left everyone speechless.

It must be said that Yunshang's efforts to keep Han Qi from leaving Kunlong Airlines a secret were truly effective. Apart from Xu Xian and a few others, the rest were completely unaware of it. Therefore, Xu Xian's conversation with Yunshang was entirely a charade to outsiders.

Honestly, even Cheng Guangyu, who was an insider at the bureau, didn't know about Han Qi's situation, which meant that even Cheng Guangyu didn't know what Xu Xian and Yun Shang, those two riddle-solving people, were talking about.

"Xu Xian, you should say less. We'll talk about your problem later," Cheng Guangyu said in a low voice. He didn't know what Xu Xian and Yun Shang were thinking, but Xu Xian was really being arrogant. He was clearly in the wrong, yet he was threatening Yun Shang. Cheng Guangyu couldn't stand it anymore.

He thought highly of Xu Xian, but he couldn't let Xu Xian be so presumptuous. What looked like a reprimand was actually more like an elder giving advice to a younger person.

With Cheng Guangyu speaking, Xu Xian could no longer continue to mock Yunshang. He shrugged and retreated into the crowd, clearly preparing to back down.

Xu Xian proposed a temporary truce, which Yun Shang was naturally delighted with. He was genuinely afraid that Xu Xian would become a public mouthpiece and expose Han Qi's intention to leave Kunlong Airlines, which would be a huge problem.

Although Xu Xian and Yun Shang have temporarily ceased hostilities, the few words they exchanged just now seemed to contain a tremendous amount of information, prompting many people present to speculate.

Just then, a radio voice came from the indoor speakers: "Star Travel 6333, turning four directions."

As soon as the radio broadcast came through, the whispers in the room ceased instantly, and everyone's eyes were fixed on Cheng Guangyu. Now it was almost certain that Xu Qing was on the plane; should they let him continue flying?

A troubled Cheng Guangyu looked at Mei Tingting with some helplessness: "If I tell Xu Qing to stop manipulating things, do you think he'll listen to me?"

Mei Tingting smiled gently: "Director Cheng, what do you think?"

Cheng Guangyu slapped his forehead: "Never mind, forget I said anything."

Among the crowd, Xu Xian, a member of Xingyou Airlines, could tell that the voice announcing the message came from Lu Xinyu. Moreover, Lu Xinyu's voice sounded as steady as ever, and it seemed that he was not affected by the change in the person on the right.

The observation area only allowed listening to radio communications on the Hamchi Airport tower frequency; direct communication with the flight crew was not permitted. Therefore, to communicate with the crew, one needed to contact the tower first. However, Cheng Guangyu knew that Xu Qing's mind was made up, and even if he conveyed his desire for Xu Qing to stop operating the aircraft through the tower, it would likely be a waste of time.

Cheng Guangyu recognized Xu Qing's voice. The person who gave the report was definitely not Xu Qing; it must have been the instructor sent by Xingyou Airlines to assist him. It seemed that the person was also the deputy general manager of Xingyou Airlines' flight department. However, judging from the steady tone of his voice when he gave the report, he had probably been completely brainwashed by Xu Qing. If Xu Qing told him to go east, he would never go west.

There's no way around it; Xu Qing's personal charisma is just too strong. Few pilots could remain rational even after meeting him in person. The current deputy general manager of Xingyou Aviation's flight department is probably already Xu Qing's lackey.

This is Xu Qing's prestige; this is what is meant by "one call, a hundred responses."

After Xingyou Airlines confirmed the personnel to cooperate, Xu Qing immediately called Lu Xinyu upon receiving the news. Upon learning it was Xu Qing's request, Lu Xinyu, who had just moments before assured Lin Bo that safety was the top priority, almost without hesitation betrayed his cause and expressed his willingness to become a member of Xu Qing's team. His change of heart was so swift it was almost like a Sichuan opera face-changing act.

Lu Xinyu had no idea how much trouble cooperating with Xu Qing's plan would bring him. But when Xu Qing asked for his help, for some reason, Lu Xinyu agreed without thinking. There was no reason; it was just as if it were the right thing to do.

Knowing that things had come to this point and could not be changed, Cheng Guangyu could only ask Mei Tingting, "How confident was Xu Qing in completing the ultra-low-altitude leveling maneuver?"

"As for my husband, I'm absolutely certain!" Mei Tingting said calmly.

Knowing Xu Qing's temperament, Cheng Guangyu had basically anticipated this answer, and in the end he could only sigh: "I hope it's as Xu Qing said."

Yun Shang, standing in the crowd, simply scoffed, "How dare a cripple speak such nonsense?"

Amidst Yunshang's mockery, the control tower responded: "Star Travel 6333, maintain altitude. You can intercept the blind landing site on your own. The airspace on both sides has been cleared."

"Maintain altitude, autonomously intercept the ILS landing site, Star Travel 6333." After replying, Lu Xinyu reported to Xu Qing, "Mr. Xu, we have autonomously turned to intercept the ILS landing, and landing clearance has been obtained. When do we switch engines?"

Since one engine was shut down when Xu Xian was in an emergency, the right engine will definitely need to be switched off in order to recreate the situation.

"No rush, we have plenty of time, the five sides are long enough," Xu Qing said with a smile, looking quite relaxed.

They just extended the length of three sides, so the length of the five sides will also be very long in a moment, probably reaching thirty nautical miles. We can definitely do our work after we get to the five sides.

"Okay!" This wasn't a matter of principle, so Lu Xinyu naturally listened to Xu Qing.

"Star Travel 6333, if you need to go around the runway in a moment, and if you are less than two nautical miles from the airport at that time, please maintain your flight path until you have passed over the runway before turning right," the control tower instructed.

Normally, according to Hamchi Airport's go-around procedure, a right turn can be made immediately after the go-around. However, today's situation is slightly different. Due to the presence of numerous drones used by media reporters in the airspace above and below the runway, a right turn after a go-around above or near the runway could potentially result in a collision with these drones. Therefore, for safety reasons, the go-around procedure had to be slightly modified.

The company's notes mentioned the changes to the go-around procedure, so Lu Xinyu wasn't surprised. He simply repeated the revised procedure and didn't ask any further questions.

After dealing with air traffic control, Lu Xinyu thoughtfully prepared to explain the changes to the go-around procedure to Xu Qing: "Mr. Xu, we'll be going around in a bit..."

Lu Xinyu had barely begun speaking when Xu Qing raised his hand to stop him: "I've seen the documents; I know about the changes to the resumption of flights procedures."

"Okay, okay, I was just being nosy," Lu Xinyu quickly said.

If there were a mirror reflecting Lu Xinyu's current actions, he would probably realize that he fits the image of a lackey very well.

Lu Xinyu couldn't afford to offend Xu Xian, so he could only tolerate him. But with Xu Qing, Lu Xinyu genuinely wanted to be Xu Qing's lackey. The two were worlds apart.

"Mr. Xu, the camera in the cockpit will activate after we reach 10 nautical miles from the shore. However, the camera is very blurry and you probably won't be able to see your face clearly," Lu Xinyu reminded him.

To recreate the scene of Flight 6333, Xu Qing will need to wear a blindfold for a while; otherwise, with visual references, what's the point of flying?

However, to verify the authenticity of the performers and prevent cheating, an additional camera was installed on the upper left of the cockpit to verify whether the operator was actually following the rule of wearing blindfolds.

Because many things inside the cockpit involve safety issues, it's impossible to broadcast them live to the public in high definition. Otherwise, some malicious individuals might use the footage to analyze safety issues and cause problems.

Therefore, the surveillance footage from the cameras is only accessible to media and airline representatives and is not allowed to be shared outside the network. Furthermore, as a precaution, the footage transmitted from the cameras is not very clear; it's only enough to confirm whether the operator is wearing a blindfold. This way, even if the surveillance video is leaked due to unforeseen circumstances, it will not pose any security risks.

Xu Qing was naturally aware of the camera issue. Since it would be made public soon anyway, whether there was a camera or not made no difference to him.

Seeing that the plane had turned to the four corners, Xu Qing estimated that it was time to deploy the flaps, and ordered: "Altitude, speed check, flaps one!"

Lu Xinyu verified that the altitude and speed were within the limits and responded, "Verify altitude, check speed, flaps one!"

As he finished verifying his statement, Lu Xinyu moved the flap handle to position one.

Xu Qing habitually set the speed to UP first, and then slowed down to below UP once the flaps were in position one. Not long after, the flap position indicator showed that the flaps were in position one, and the green light lit up.

"Green light as soon as the flaps are in place!" Lu Xinyu shouted.

Just as Xu Qing was about to adjust the speed, the aircraft's control panel suddenly jerked to the left, and the autopilot disengaged instantly. Xu Qing reacted quickly and switched to manual control.

At this moment, one of the flap pointers had somehow already pointed to the forty position.

(End of this chapter)