Legendary Captain

Chapter 329 A Daring Missile Evasion Method

The office of the squadron leader at the Luohang base.

After receiving news that Wang Qi had accidentally fired a missile, Squadron Leader Li Cheng rushed back to the base. When he arrived, Xu Xian and Wang Qi had already finished their training and returned to the base.

After Xu Xian and his companion got off the plane, they were taken directly to the captain's office for questioning.

"Do you remember if there was any operational error?" Li Cheng took a sip of tea. He had heard that someone at the base had accidentally fired a missile, almost shooting down one of their own fighter jets. He was so frightened that he rushed back to the base without even having time to drink some water.

Wang Qi sounded a little guilty: "Captain Li, there's absolutely no problem. I don't know how the missile was launched; the weapon safety wasn't even on!"

Wang Qi has been flying for quite some time now, so he must be careful to check if the weapon safety is engaged when the radar locks onto friendly forces. Wang Qi can swear on his life that the weapon safety is absolutely not engaged.

Li Cheng sat down and sighed, "Are you sure the operating procedure is absolutely correct?"

"If I really have to say, well... when selecting the missile, there was a jolt, and my finger accidentally pressed the weapon launch button." Wang Qi didn't hide anything and recounted what happened in detail.

Li Cheng's lips twitched: "And then the missile was launched?"

"Uh-huh!" Wang Qi seemed a little embarrassed, but eventually admitted it.

Li Cheng grabbed a document from the table and threw it at Wang Qi's face: "So this is what you call not having any operational errors?"

Wang Qi was beaten by Li Cheng and didn't dare to move, but he looked quite aggrieved: "But... I made sure the weapon safety was on."

"With the weapon safety off, you can use the fire control radar to lock onto friendly forces, select a missile, and press the launch button, right?" Li Cheng said, throwing a document at Wang Qi with each sentence, making Xu Xian unable to bear it any longer.

Xu Xian quickly advised, "Captain Li, I've already discussed this matter in depth with Wang Qi. It's true that we can't entirely blame Wang Qi; no one expected the weapon safety to malfunction."

"In-depth discussion, huh?" Li Cheng glanced at Wang Qi, whose face was almost swollen like a pig's head. "Forget it, since you've already talked to Xu Xian, I won't talk to you anymore. Go back and reflect on your actions. Wait for the results of the investigation. Don't fly during this time."

"Oh!" Wang Qi responded. To be honest, given his current condition, he really couldn't fly for the time being.

Li Cheng waved his hand: "Wang Qi, you can go out now. I want to talk to Xu Xian."

After driving Wang Qi away, Li Cheng beckoned Xu Xian over and had him sit opposite him. He said earnestly, "I understand you're angry, but please go easy on him. It wouldn't be good if you hurt Wang Qi."

"Captain Li, you're joking." Xu Xian laughed and said, "I have a very good temper, how could I possibly hit someone? We just had a friendly exchange, maybe the words were a little heated."

"Just a little bit of verbal abuse? No physical violence?" Li Cheng was both amused and exasperated. Wang Qi's face was covered in bruises; anyone with a modicum of intelligence would know Xu Xian was blatantly lying. But Li Cheng didn't intend to call him out on it; it was all trivial. Wang Qi had brought the beating upon himself, and it wasn't unjust. However, Li Cheng still wanted to remind Xu Xian: "A pilot's health is the foundation of everything; please be more gentle with your words and actions."

"Since Captain Li has said so, I will naturally listen," Xu Xian said with a smile. "I wonder what instructions Captain Li has for me here?"

"What kind of reprimand could there be? You didn't do anything wrong today." Li Cheng waved his hand: "I also bear some responsibility for this incident."

"Huh?" Xu Xian was confused. How did this involve Li Cheng? Could it be that Li Cheng remotely controlled Wang Qi's hand to press the weapon fire button? What kind of explanation is that?

Li Cheng gestured for Xu Xian to calm down, then explained in detail: "Normally, missiles are supposed to be equipped with self-destruct mechanisms. However, the Eagle Sparrow E missiles you carried today are rather old, and there's not much point in preserving the technology, so we didn't install self-destruct components. If I had decided to treat all missiles equally and install self-destruct mechanisms, this wouldn't have happened today."

Missile technology is a crucial national asset, containing a high level of technological sophistication, especially for certain advanced missile models. To prevent the enemy from obtaining unexploded ordnance and reverse-engineering their own missile technology, many missiles incorporate self-destruct components.

This self-destructing component can cause a missile to self-destruct in case it fails to explode, thus preventing the leakage of missile technology.

However, these self-destruct components are mostly used in advanced missile models, since only these types of missiles have the necessity to preserve their technology. For those outdated missiles, the core technologies are already widely known, so what need is there for secrecy?

In comparison, the Falcon E missile is not exactly a new model; the Falcon family has already evolved to the P model. Furthermore, the Falcon series missiles have largely been replaced by the superior RAM series missiles. Therefore, from any perspective, the Falcon E missile cannot be considered a new or advanced missile.

Moreover, the Eagle Sparrow series missiles were also copied. This missile technology, which is considered outdated in China, does not really have any special need for secrecy. Therefore, it is understandable that the Eagle Sparrow E missile is not equipped with a self-destruct component.

"A self-destruct component? The Eagle Sparrow E is such a useless missile, yet it's equipped with a self-destruct component? That's giving it too much credit!" Xu Xian retorted to Li Cheng. Indeed, in Xu Xian's eyes, the Eagle Sparrow E missile was a complete waste missile, at least for fighter jets.

In Xu Xian's mind, missiles like the Eagle Sparrow E were only fit to shoot down transport planes or bombers with little maneuverability. If he were to be shot down by such a useless missile, he would deserve to die.

Today, Wang Qi's missile launch was a bit too close to him, which gave the missile extremely powerful thrust, making this maneuvering evasion incredibly difficult. Otherwise, with a normal launch position, Xu Xian would have easily outmaneuvered the Eagle Sparrow E missile.

"Huh?" Li Cheng really didn't expect Xu Xian to be so understanding and even speak up for him: "Well... I still bear some responsibility. Later, I will have the equipment department install self-destruct components on all missiles, and this kind of thing will definitely not happen again."

"This must cost a lot of money, right?" Xu Xian's first thought was the cost of installing the self-destruct device: "It's all because of that spendthrift Wang Qi. If only he had saved that money for me."

"Kid, what are you talking about?" Li Cheng was at a loss with someone like Xu Xian whose thought process was so peculiar. He changed the subject and said seriously, "This time, because the target drone was the lowest-level, low-maneuverability type, it carried the Eagle Sparrow E missile, which has extremely poor maneuverability. You were lucky. If it had been carrying other missiles, like RAM missiles, you would have been dead for sure. You need to understand that. So, in the future, if you encounter something like this, don't be reckless. If you need to parachute, then parachute. Life is the most important thing, understand?"

Although Li Cheng wasn't present, Wang Chenchen, who was in command at the time, later recounted the details to him, including that Wang Chenchen had already given Xu Xian permission to jump. In other words, Xu Xian wasn't pressured by his superiors to choose to jump. However, Xu Xian stubbornly refused to do so.

Indeed, Xu Xian was very capable, with terrifyingly strong talent. Without having undergone any actual missile evasion training, he first used the 39 maneuver to hold off the missile, then used a steep turn to buy himself more space, and then, for the safety of the people on the ground, he resolutely lured the missile to the third airspace, and used the jettisoning of the auxiliary fuel tank and the drag maneuver to complete the final decisive blow.

In this unexpected incident, Xu Xian's composure even surpassed that of many seasoned pilots who had been flying for a long time. Others achieve this through years of diligent training, but Xu Xian didn't put in any effort at all, because that was where he started.

That is talent.

However, even though Li Cheng admired Xu Xian's extraordinary talent, he didn't want him to become arrogant and complacent, thinking he was truly omnipotent. Sometimes, when faced with difficulties, charging headlong into them can easily lead to disaster. Especially on the battlefield, recklessness and bravado often come at the cost of one's life.

Xu Xian was lucky this time; they were carrying the Eagle Sparrow E missile, which had poor maneuverability. What if they had been using the RAM series missiles, which had much higher speed and maneuverability?

Even the most basic model in the RAM missile series, the RAM A, can reach speeds of Mach 4, twice the top speed of the C-16 fighter jet. Furthermore, although the RAM missile is semi-radar guided, it incorporates infrared guidance components, a so-called hybrid guidance system. This makes jamming this type of missile extremely difficult. Moreover, the RAM A missile's maneuverability surpasses even the Eagle E2 missile, known for its "dogfighting" capabilities.

If Xu Xian were to encounter such a missile, then relying on maneuverability would not be a suitable approach, at least in Li Cheng's eyes. Trying to use human strength to counter technological power often proves to be a case of human limitations being insurmountable.

Unfortunately, a person only has one life, and Li Cheng was unwilling for Xu Xian to use his life to prove what it means for human beings to do things beyond their control.

"So, you think I only survived by sheer luck?" Xu Xian suddenly laughed. "Actually, if it were a RAM missile, it would naturally be far superior to the useless Eagle-E missile, but I wasn't the only option to abandon my aircraft and escape, was I?"

"Oh?" This piqued Li Cheng's interest somewhat. In his view, if the missile had been any of the RAM missiles, Xu Xian would have been doomed. However, Xu Xian now claimed he had a solution, which genuinely surprised Li Cheng. Li Cheng coughed lightly, and finally couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "What method? Tell me about it."

Xu Xian couldn't help but smile, his lips moved slightly, and he uttered a few words.

Upon hearing Xu Xian's words, Li Cheng's face changed color in shock, clearly showing his astonishment.

"Absolutely audacious! Absolutely audacious!" Li Cheng kept repeating the word "absolutely audacious," his understanding completely refreshed by Xu Xian's astonishing words: "I've seen your file in civil aviation. The special cases you handled were all incredibly daring. I told Ye Qing back then that working in civil aviation was a waste of your talent; it was a waste of someone like you not flying fighter jets. But today I realize how incredibly audacious you are! How could you come up with such a method? No, how dare you even think of such a method? We wouldn't even dare to think of it!"

Xu Xianyi shrugged: "So that's the difference between me and you guys!"

"This is insane! Insane!" Li Cheng shook his head repeatedly. "Your method for dealing with the RAM missile is too unconventional. I don't know if it has any practical significance. Perhaps, perhaps you can verify it in the future. I can only say...we'll wait and see."

In the flight preparation room of Xingyou Aviation Base, the flight crew of flight 6333 was coordinating with the cabin crew. The content was nothing special, except that this time there was a bright spot in the flight crew, namely Lianshanxue, who had resumed flying.

Perhaps it was because she had regained her sight, but Lian Shanxue's eyes were like those of a newborn baby, as if two of the most dazzling black gems in the world were set within them, captivating all who saw them.

The captain of the flight flying with Lian Shanxue this time was named Tang Jian. When he first saw Lian Shanxue, he was almost completely captivated. However, Captain Tang Jian was still better than lecherous playboys like Cheng Jingdong. Although his heart was already set on the beauty, he was still able to restrain himself.

"We're only flying to Binjiang today, and it'll be dinner time when we get there. How about we grab a bite together? Let's not eat at the hotel, let's go out to eat." Captain Tang Jian suggested this casually after the cabin crew left.

It's quite normal for flight crews to go out for dinner together when they're spending the night together, so Tang Jian's suggestion didn't seem particularly deliberate at first glance. But upon closer inspection, Lian Shanxue is a girl, so there's still a need to consider things. They can't just treat her like a male co-pilot, can they?

Lian Shanxue was clearly unwilling to go out alone with a man; at least she believed that her relationship with Captain Tang Jian was definitely not close enough for them to go out to eat together.

However, a direct refusal wouldn't be appropriate, so Lian Shanxue could only dodge the question: "Captain, I still have quite a few meal vouchers at the Binjiang Hotel. They'll expire if I don't use them soon. Why don't we eat at the hotel? I can treat you."

When flight crew members eat together at a hotel restaurant, that's a perfectly legitimate practice. After all, a meal for one person costs only sixty-five yuan, while a single main dish at many hotel restaurants can cost several tens of yuan, making it difficult to choose. When two or three flight crew members eat together, ordering becomes relatively easier.

For Lian Shanxue, going out to eat alone with the captain was unacceptable. However, having a meal together in the hotel restaurant lobby was just work, so it wasn't entirely unacceptable.

"I see." Tang Jian wasn't stupid; Lian Shanxue's words were basically a polite rejection of his suggestion, and he immediately felt a little disappointed. He had finally managed to get a chance to fly with Lian Shanxue, and there wasn't even a third-place finisher. Such a good opportunity to be alone with her, yet he still seemed useless.

Just as Captain Tang was feeling lost and disoriented, a flight attendant came into the preparation room alone and peered around, looking for Lian Shanxue.

It's quite common for the entire flight crew to come to the flight preparation room to coordinate, but it's relatively rare to see one person alone. Lian Shanxue quickly noticed that the flight attendant seemed to be coming towards her.

Moreover, when Lian Shanxue looked at the flight attendant's face, she felt that it looked somewhat familiar.

The flight attendant found Tang Jian's seat and first winked playfully at Lian Shanxue. Lian Shanxue's memory was obviously correct; she should have had some interaction with this flight attendant before, but she couldn't remember it for the moment.

The flight attendant didn't try anything funny with Lian Shanxue anymore. Instead, she went straight to Tang Jian and said politely, "Hello, Captain, I'm Yue Shanshan, a flight attendant from the second flight attendant squadron."

"Huh? Oh! Hello." Tang Jian was still immersed in the disappointment of being rejected by Lian Shanxue, and his reaction was a little slow. After a while, he realized that there didn't seem to be a flight attendant named Yue Shanshan on his flight. He didn't see this flight attendant when he came to coordinate earlier. Did he miss her?

Tang Jian asked in confusion, "We're together?"

"No, no!" Yue Shanshan quickly shook her head: "Captain, I'm on flight 6771, behind you."

Both flights 6333 and 6771 fly from Yunnan to Binjiang, but flight 6771 departs a little later than flight 6333.

"6771?" Tang Jian nodded. "Is there something you need?"

"Yes, Captain!" Yue Shanshan quickly replied, "It's like this, my brother is taking flight 6333, and I checked that there are still quite a few first-class seats left, so..."

"Your brother, right?" Tang Jian smiled and quickly understood Yue Shanshan's meaning: "It's all a small matter! Here's what we'll do: the chief flight attendant for flight 6333 is waiting outside. You can go directly to her and tell her that I've agreed. As for how to upgrade your cabin, you can coordinate it yourselves."

If a crew member's relative is on the plane, there are indeed many conveniences in terms of upgrading. At least many captains are quite generous in this regard and won't make a big deal out of it; most will agree.

"Thank you, Captain! Thank you, Captain!" Yue Shanshan was overjoyed.

Tang Jian waved his hand: "Just tell the flight attendant your brother's seat number. It's nothing serious. Go ahead."

For a captain, upgrading a colleague's relative to a cabin class is a simple matter, a trivial thing.

"Okay, Captain, I'll tell the chief flight attendant in a bit." Yue Shanshan finished speaking and gave Lian Shanxue a sweet smile: "Sister Lian Shan, we meet again!"

"Where have we met before?" Lian Shanxue asked somewhat embarrassedly. After all, she should have interacted with this flight attendant before, but she really couldn't remember. Given Lian Shanxue's personality, she felt that her behavior was actually quite impolite, and a slight blush even appeared on her pretty face.

Yue Shanshan didn't mind at all, and readily said, "Sister Lianshan, I was on Flight Three during your stress relief incident before."

"Decompression?" Lian Shanxue suddenly realized. During that decompression incident, she had given her oxygen mask to the captain and endured the oxygen deprivation to complete the emergency descent. "Then what about your brother?"

"That's right! It was the doctor who called to the cockpit back then!" Yue Shanshan's eyes crinkled into crescent moons with laughter. "He's always remembered Sister Lianshan!"

Everyone is looking forward to Xu Xian's daring missile evasion method, but I'll keep you in suspense for now. I've been having a lot of inspiration lately, and I feel like I have a lot to write about, whether it's about fighter jets or civil aviation.

In addition, another major event is coming to civil aviation, so stay tuned.

(End of this chapter)