Legendary Captain

Chapter 391 Returning to Civil Aviation

"You mean the engine's electronic control components are experiencing data corruption? What kind of malfunction is that?" Xu Xian had never heard of this malfunction before.

However, Xu Xian knew what the engine electronic control unit was. It was the component that actually controlled the engine thrust, and if it malfunctioned, the engine thrust would be affected.

In fact, the thrust of an engine is not directly determined by the position of the throttle handle. This is different from some simple power devices where pushing forward accelerates and pulling back decelerates.

Although it may seem intuitively that the thrust of an aircraft is linearly related to the position of the thrust handle, in reality, there are many factors that affect engine thrust, and the engine thrust handle is just one of them.

At least the aircraft configuration, speed, and environmental conditions are all factors that the engine's electronic control components will consider when calculating the final thrust. In other words, even with the same thrust handle position, the actual thrust will be different depending on the aircraft configuration, speed, and flight environment.

Ye Qing's meaning is simple: as an intermediary device between the thrust handle and the actual thrust, if the engine electronic control components malfunction, some extreme situations may occur, such as the pilot increasing the throttle but the actual engine thrust not increasing.

Xu Xian asked in surprise, "I remember that when the bureau was investigating, they also checked the engine's electronic control components, and there were no problems."

During the investigation of the previous runway overrun incident, engine power issues were a key focus. As the central component of engine control, the engine electronic control unit was bound to be thoroughly inspected. However, the investigation at the time concluded that the engine electronic control unit was functioning correctly, thus ruling out this possibility.

"It's not a hardware problem, it's a data corruption in the software. If we start with the hardware, there shouldn't be any issues!" Ye Qing tapped a line on the document in Xu Xian's hand: "See? Before grounding, you pushed the throttle almost to maximum, but the actual RPM was close to idle. It would be a miracle if it didn't drop!"

"You're saying the actual thrust was close to idle? No way, the N1 display looks fine!" Xu Xian remembered that the N1 speed display on the DU changed with his throttle lever, and there was nothing unusual.

Xu Xian remembered clearly that he had checked the N1 display at the time. If he had noticed then that even though he had pressed the accelerator, the N1 RPM hadn't increased, he wouldn't be so confused about the situation now.

"That's why I said you were unlucky!" Ye Qing shrugged. "Actually, I don't really understand the specifics either. I didn't design this plane, and there are some operating principles I don't know. However, judging from the flight data, the data malfunction in the electronic control components only affected the engine's actual thrust, not the engine's displayed data. Has this ever happened in civil aviation history?"

Faced with Ye Qing's inquisitive expression, Xu Xian's face darkened. He thought about it and realized that he had never encountered such a strange situation before.

Seeing the change in Xu Xian's expression, Ye Qing chuckled and said, "Just this one case?"

Xu Xian's facial features froze; he was truly unwilling to answer the question.

"If you don't want to admit it, then so be it. But it really fits your situation; you've certainly had some bad luck in the civil aviation industry. You can try to get an explanation from Boeing. This incident was purely due to a mechanical problem. As the designer and manufacturer of the aircraft, they can't just ignore it, can they?" Ye Qing suggested.

"Was there a downburst at that time?" Xu Xian asked curiously. Because the plane suddenly started to descend faster, and based on his feeling, it seemed to be caused by an external force rather than a decrease in engine thrust.

"Yes!" Ye Qing said readily, "It's only seven meters. It's not small, but it's definitely not particularly large either. If the engine is running normally, there will be absolutely no danger."

A seven-meter change in wind speed in the vertical direction is already quite noticeable, but it's definitely not that significant. Pilots can counteract this downburst by increasing the throttle.

"Actually, even if there hadn't been a downburst, and the engine's electronic control components had malfunctioned before the grounding, it wouldn't have hit so hard. At worst, the grounding speed would have been lower and the load higher; it wouldn't have been impossible to operate. It's just that the presence of the downburst eliminated all your operational possibilities at the time. Tsk tsk tsk, the more I think about it, the more unlucky you seem."

According to the flight data, the engine electronic control components malfunctioned at an altitude of approximately fifty feet. Even if a problem occurred there, as long as Xu Xian kept the stick taut, the worst that could happen was a lower touchdown speed and a larger touchdown attitude. Even if the touchdown load was slightly higher, it wouldn't be a significant amount.

However, the situation that could have stopped him at the edge of the cliff was completely extinguished by the downward blast, which kicked Xu Xian off the cliff.

Ye Qing became more and more excited as she spoke: "I'm telling you, do you have some kind of unseen conflict with civil aviation? I've been looking into your experience in civil aviation lately. Tsk tsk tsk, seeing your background in civil aviation makes me believe in the existence of metaphysics again."

Xu Xian was speechless for a long time, then rolled his eyes: "You just said we can get an explanation from Boeing? We can demand compensation?"

"Why not?" Ye Qing said confidently, "If it breaks down at a crucial moment, who else can we turn to? When encountering a downburst, if the engine thrust is too slow, even the King of Heaven himself would be crushed to the ground! Even if you buy a tractor, there's after-sales service; don't airplanes come with a lifetime warranty? If it were me, I would have sued them long ago, demanding compensation for direct and indirect losses, plus emotional distress!"

"Really?!" Previously, Xu Xian had caused immeasurable losses to Xingyou Airlines due to his plane running off the runway, almost pushing the airline to the brink of bankruptcy. Xu Xian felt somewhat embarrassed. If they could receive compensation for these losses, it would undoubtedly be a huge financial boost for Xingyou Airlines.

"Do you have a good lawyer?" Ye Qing asked directly. "If you don't, I can help you find one. This matter is clearly mainly due to mechanical problems with the plane. No matter how much compensation is paid, we still have to go up there and take a bite out of it. We might as well take it."

"You're making me sound like a dog. But don't worry about the lawyer, I know a good one." Speaking of lawyers, Xu Xian immediately thought of his childhood friend Su Qiye.

"Whatever! Seriously, can you see the difference between military and civilian aviation now?" Ye Qing proudly patted his chest. "Tell me, aren't you grateful to me for bringing you to the military? You were working yourself to the bone in civilian aviation, almost ruining your reputation. In the military, it's only been a short time, and you've already earned a first-class merit, right? A source of pride for your family! And you might even be promoted to major, or even air force major! You've only been here for a year! What progress have you made in a year in civilian aviation? The comparison is undeniable. So, the military is your best destination, understand?"

Ye Qing knew that Xu Xian had been awarded a first-class merit, which had been approved by the military region. However, Ye Qing had not yet received definite news about whether he would be promoted to Air Force Major. Nevertheless, even if he did not achieve the promotion this time, it was only a matter of time.

Xu Xian encountered numerous emergencies in civil aviation but didn't gain much. At least in military aviation, there were rewards for hard work, as evidenced by his first-class merit and promotion.

Even though Xu Xian has now officially transferred to the Air Force, after learning about Xu Xian's feat of single-handedly destroying a ship on the South Ship, Ye Qing's idea is to keep Xu Xian in the military for a long time, rather than having him retire after two years.

After Xu Xian was transferred to a permanent position, his minimum retirement age was three years, and almost a year has already passed. This means that if Xu Xian wanted, he could retire without any problems in two years. Of course, if Xu Xian wanted to stay, that would be ideal. However, Ye Qing was worried that Xu Xian would consider retiring once the time was up.

Ye Qing is now subtly "hypnotizing" Xu Xian by whispering in his ear that someone like Xu Xian should stay in the army for life, shining brightly and contributing his talents.

"Military aviation is my best place to be? How can you say such nonsense?" Xu Xian sneered. "At least in civilian aviation, no one shoots missiles at me!"

"Uh," Ye Qing said speechlessly, "Are you planning to hold a grudge about Wang Qi's accidental missile launch for the rest of your life? I've already told you, all the missiles over there are now equipped with self-destruct capabilities, so you can rest assured."

"Come on, give me a break!" Xu Xian stood up abruptly. "Whether I stay in the army or not is my own decision. Don't try to interfere with my decision; that's not right."

"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. You have your own ideas, you decide for yourself." Ye Qing raised his hands, indicating that this topic should be skipped. "By the way, Division Commander Wang has contacted me. You just need to focus on going to the Southwest Bureau tomorrow, the matter of going to headquarters can be postponed."

Xu Xian was about to leave when he heard Ye Qing's words and he suddenly stopped: "What do you think the Commander wants to say to me? I don't think there's anything to say."

"Can't we just chat casually? You've made our Western Air Force proud, the Commander likes you a lot! Don't worry, the Commander is a good person!" Ye Qing laughed. "But I just want to ask you something. Are you still staying with the Luoyang Air Force this time you're back? As the deputy squadron leader of the First Flight Squadron of the First Regiment of the Third Division, isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to stay with the Luoyang Air Force all the time? You're not still clinging to the relaxed atmosphere of Luoyang Air Force, are you? Surely not? You've even adapted to life on the South Ship, going to the Third Division shouldn't be a big problem for you."

The training standards on the South Ship are renowned within the domestic military for their rigor. Although Xu Xian didn't stay on the South Ship for long, he at least made it through.

He adapted well to the South Air Force, so going to the Third Air Division of the Western Air Force shouldn't be a problem. Although Xu Xian, as a special trainee of the Third Division, could be stationed permanently in the Luoyang Air Force Flight Squadron, he was still the deputy squadron leader of the First Flight Squadron of the First Regiment of the Third Air Division. Constantly loitering in Luoyang Air Force's territory made him feel somewhat uncomfortable. After all, with Xu Xian's rank, he was second-in-command in the Luoyang Air Force squadron, with only Squadron Leader Li Cheng able to surpass him.

But do you think those people in the Luohang Flight Squadron would feel comfortable if they kept calling him "Captain Xu" all the time?

Ye Qing's idea was that since Xu Xian's rank was now much higher and he was used to military life, he should go wherever he wanted and be a good deputy battalion commander.

"I know, I'm going back to the Third Division." A glint of light flashed in Xu Xian's eyes. "But I'll have to wait until something else is over."

"The authorities have confirmed it was a mechanical malfunction?" In the general manager's office of Xingyou Aviation's flight department, Lu Xinyu looked at Ning Sheng standing across the desk, somewhat incredulously: "Didn't they say the flight data recorder was beyond repair? Did the person Xu Xian found fix it?"

"It seems so! Later, Xu Xian handed the data disk over to the Southwest Bureau, and after verification, the bureau confirmed that the data was authentic and valid," Ning Sheng said. "The main problem was that the engine's electronic control components experienced data corruption. When the unit accelerated, the actual thrust was already close to idle. Moreover, there was indeed a downburst at the moment of touchdown, although the airflow was not large, only seven meters!"

"Seven meters, that's not particularly large." Lu Xinyu couldn't help but recall that after the accident, he and Luo Qing went to visit an injured child who was at the scene. At that time, Luo Qing asked him if he had felt any significant horizontal wind.

Because at the time, they didn't know the engine's actual thrust was at idle, and they thought the crew was pushing the throttle to almost full, yet the plane still couldn't take off. The downburst must have been extremely powerful; after impacting the ground, it would spread horizontally in all directions, creating a significant horizontal wind.

However, the child clearly stated that he did not feel any significant horizontal wind. If the child was not lying, then it almost certainly proves that a downburst does not exist, or at least not an extremely strong downburst.

There wasn't a powerful downburst, so why was the plane still crashing downwards even with the crew revving the engine? At the time, no one could figure it out. Now it seems the problem was with the engine.

Downward bursts do exist, but they are not very strong.

Then all of this makes sense!

As expected, the investigation into civil aviation incidents ultimately comes down to examining the black box.

"When will the authorities release the investigation results?" Lu Xinyu asked Ning Sheng. Previously, due to the lack of flight data records, the investigation results of the incident had not been finalized. Now that everything has settled, Xu Xian's innocence must be cleared.

When Lu Xinyu thought back to when the Bureau announced that the investigation was temporarily suspended, the internet was flooded with criticism of the Bureau and Xu Xian, as if Xu Xian had committed some heinous crime.

Saying Xu Xian is just seeking fame and fortune is relatively mild; there are also accusations that he colluded with the authorities and deliberately concealed flight data. Previously, the authorities had been praising Xu Xian, and to avoid contradicting themselves, they had no choice but to protect him at all costs.

At the time, such conspiracy theories were very prevalent. As a result, many people later began to question whether the special cases handled by Xu Xian earlier had been deliberately exaggerated by the authorities.

To be honest, if Lu Xinyu were in Xu Xian's situation, she felt she would have exploded. Humans are social animals and cannot completely sever their ties with society. But back then, any contact with the outside world was mostly filled with insults and ridicule. No one's heart is made of steel; how could one not be affected by so much vile language?

Cyberbullying is far more severe than imagined! But Xu Xian persevered through it all.

"The specific time hasn't been set yet. We've only just confirmed that the flight data provided by Xu Xian is accurate. We'll probably need to prepare for the public release of the investigation results, as we can't just rush things," Ning Sheng said. "The results have already been communicated to all the airlines, which is like a warm-up for the upcoming press conference."

Once the airlines find out, the news will inevitably leak out. It's better to give the public a heads-up beforehand. Otherwise, it would be abrupt to hold a press conference and announce that it was a mechanical malfunction and had nothing to do with Xu Xian. This is to prevent some people from misinterpreting the situation and thinking the authorities are fabricating evidence.

Although the authorities may not care about those people, considering how severely Xu Xian had been stigmatized before, this press conference must thoroughly clear his name and leave no trace of his past.

Perhaps the authorities also felt some guilt. When Xu Xian was subjected to cyberbullying, the authorities did not firmly stand by Xu Xian's side, but rather tended to distance themselves from him.

"That works too!" Lu Xinyu nodded.

"What about Xu Xian's appointment as captain?" Ning Sheng asked cautiously. Xu Xian had basically met the requirements for hiring a captain before, but the runway overrun incident put it on hold. Now that it has been proven that the incident was unrelated to Xu Xian, shouldn't the postponed captain appointment be put back on the agenda?

"Hiring a captain?" Lu Xinyu said with a wry smile, "Ning Sheng, you don't know that Xu Xian has nothing to do with civil aviation anymore, do you? His files aren't with us anymore. Hiring a captain is out of the question for him."

Lu Xinyu assumed Ning Sheng was unaware that Xu Xian's file had been transferred, so he kindly brought it up. However, Ning Sheng actually knew, and he said solemnly, "I know that Xu Xian's file has been moved. However, the bureau has indicated that they can create a new file for Xu Xian within the Civil Aviation Administration. Mr. Lu, what do you think?"

"Create a new file? Not transfer it back? What does that mean?" If transferring Xu Xian's file back meant the bureau intended for Xu Xian to return to civil aviation. But now, what did the bureau mean by wanting to create a new file? Lu Xinyu really didn't understand.

Ning Sheng guessed this was the first time he had heard this statement: "I reckon the authorities mean they agree to allow Xu Xian to retain his civil aviation license, meaning he can operate both military and civil aviation simultaneously."

"You mean, Xu Xian can now operate both civilian and military airlines?" Lu Xinyu's brows furrowed deeply. "Is that even possible? Wasn't it said that you can't retain both military and civilian airline licenses simultaneously? You can only choose one?"

"Normally that's how it is, but from what I heard from the authorities, it seems like they can make an exception. Under normal circumstances, Xu Xian definitely won't be flying in civil aviation for a long time; they'll just retain his civil aviation operating license and keep his experience intact, something like that," Ning Sheng guessed. "However, the people from the authorities didn't elaborate at the time. According to them, if Xu Xian's civil aviation license is restored, it should still be registered under our company's name."

"Is that even possible? This...this..." Lu Xinyu was momentarily stunned. However, it wasn't unusual for the authorities to make an exception for Xu Xian. Since the authorities said they would retain Xu Xian's civil aviation qualifications while only maintaining his experience, it meant that even if Xu Xian could fly both civil and military aviation, he would primarily fly military aviation. He would only fly civil aviation occasionally to ensure the validity of his pilot's license. Many of the authorities' personnel in management positions were also pilots themselves, but they rarely flew in practice, merely maintaining the minimum experience requirements, essentially wearing the pilot's badge.

Lu Xinyu didn't understand why the authorities were so keen on having Xu Xian nominally affiliated with the Civil Aviation Administration, but there was no doubt that if Xu Xian returned to the Civil Aviation Administration, at least nominally, and affiliated with Xingyou Airlines, it would be of great benefit to Xingyou Airlines.

The saying goes, "After the worst comes the best." Those who were fiercely criticizing Xu Xian initially will turn around and shower him with praise once the authorities present flight data at the press conference proving he was innocent. Many people have a binary mindset; there's nothing that can be done about it.

It's almost predictable that after the authorities release the investigation results, Xu Xian's reputation will undergo a complete reversal for a considerable period. If Xu Xian can get a job at Star Travel Airlines, he can at least reap a huge wave of traffic benefits.

Lu Xinyu was somewhat tempted: "Do you think Xu Xian would agree to return to civil aviation?"

Ning Sheng pondered for a moment: "I feel he still has feelings for our Star Travel, so there's still a possibility."

"Yes, his master is still here, and so is he." Lu Xinyu was about to say that his wife was also here, but then he swallowed his words. "Here's what you'd like to do: confirm with the bureau again. If that's indeed what the bureau intends, could you find some time to contact Xu Xian?"

(End of this chapter)