In an unprecedented and first-of-its-kind display, the Chinese Air Force announced that “eight aircraft belonging to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force took off from an airport in the northwest of the country to participate in an air show in Egypt.”
According to the air force, “The air formation scheduled to participate in the show, which will be held from September 3 to 5, includes one Y-20, a large transport aircraft developed domestically in China, and seven J-10 stealth fighters from the Bayi aerobatic team.”
“This will be the first performance by the Bayi team in an African country and the team’s furthest overseas flight to date,” said Xie Peng, a spokesman for the Chinese air force. “The formation will fly over the pyramids while in Egypt, where the Y-20 will perform its first overseas performance.”
“The air crew simplified the flight supplies and developed a specific set of maneuvers that the Y-20 will perform during its first demonstration,” said pilot Yuan Bo.
Military experts said the flight would cover a distance of about 10,000 km, with stops, and would cross several time zones amid rapid changes in temperature, posing “extreme” challenges for pilots.
Last updated: August 27, 2024 – 10:05
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2024-08-28 11:41:11