Chapter 006: Fiery Steed

Does the political commissar need to adopt such a low profile towards the division commander? The military and political leaders are of the same rank, and the political commissar can be considered half a family member; they are equal to each other

"I apologize," Li Zhan came to his senses and said, "Captain, please come in, but I only have bagged tea here."

Zhang Sihai may be the oldest and most senior fighter squadron commander in the Air Force aviation troops. If he were not a squadron commander, he would have been grounded long ago. In fact, his ability to still take to the skies is an exception

The instructor would not say such things to the political commissar; only a senior would impart such teachings to a junior.

The door was wide open, and Li Zhan was bent over his desk writing something, facing the window. Nie Jianfeng gently knocked on the door and smiled, "Are you busy?"

Zhang Sihai stated, "Any problem may arise once the aircraft is in the sky; as soon as it takes off, all possibilities exist. Can we reduce our flights out of fear of potential issues? Clearly not; we must continue to train as necessary. No one can completely avoid accidents; rather, the focus should be on stricter ground support and more skilled pilots."

He does not hide his envy and admiration in the slightest, which gives Li Zhan a very good impression. This captain is a straightforward and honest person, without any pretensions, making interactions very pleasant.

It is only with age that one realizes that if more attention had been paid in youth, things would not be so difficult now. Chairman Mao once said that health is the foundation of revolution. Making a joke of one's own health is unacceptable to both the Party and the people. Zhang Sihai smiled and waved his hand, taking the teacup that Qi Hong handed over, signaling him to sit down

"I am about to retire, and the Second Division will be handed over to you. As the commanding officer, you must first be able to withstand the pressure," Zhang Sihai said earnestly. "You may still be concerned about the honor of advanced military training for the division. There is no need for that. If this evaluation standard is based on flight safety, then such honors are better left unpursued. I say this with conviction."

However, this regulation does not apply in the Second Division

Nie Jianfeng took a deep breath and gave a thumbs up, "Little brother, you are the one. Entering the Air Force talent pool as a trainee, it is said that there have only been a few in recent years."

Qi Hong felt grateful and said solemnly, "Instructor, I understand. You are right; there are no bad soldiers, only unmotivated officers. To be honest, I was just considering sending him back. I have a feeling that soldier will cause big trouble sooner or later"

Nie Jianfeng answered Yu Chenglin's call and hurriedly walked towards Li Zhan's dormitory

Waving his hand, Nie Jianfeng comforted, "Don't worry about it, the new political commissar is quite good and very appreciative of talent. You will understand in the future. Please have a seat."

Once Li Zhan sat down, Nie Jianfeng continued, "I graduated two years earlier than you and was appointed as the squadron leader this year. As you have seen today, your arrival is rather unfortunate; the division is currently conducting extensive transfer training, which is the most important exercise of the year. Additionally, it coincides with the year-end summary, and the leaders are all very busy. The regiment commander and political commissar have gone to the eastern Guangdong for training, while the deputy political commissar is occupied with summarizing the work. You have met Deputy Regiment Commander Yu Chenglin; his aircraft is having issues and he is currently overseeing repairs in the maintenance hangar. He called me to ask me to extend a welcome to you on behalf of the regiment... The regiment commander and political commissar have gone to the eastern Guangdong for training, while the deputy political commissar is occupied with summarizing the work. You have met Deputy Regiment Commander Yu Chenglin; his aircraft is having issues and he is currently overseeing repairs in the maintenance hangar. He called me to ask me to extend a welcome to you on behalf of the regiment..."

Qi Hong lowered his head and said, "Instructor, I indeed have entertained the thought of reducing the training volume, and you have noticed it."

Report, Captain! Li Zhan reporting for duty!" Li Zhan stood up straight and said

Li Zhan hurriedly said, "It's alright, I am just a soldier"

Since the establishment of the Air Force, disregarding those who have flown solo or not, the number of pilots who dare to perform such dangerous maneuvers during their first execution of an air mission is probably countable on one hand. In Qi Hong's view, Li Zhan is capable and exceptionally talented, but he is a wild stallion! If not handled properly, he could cause harm to the Second Division

Qi Hong fell silent, as he had no novel viewpoints. The topic of training and safety has always been one of the most debated and contentious issues in the annual work of the military, and it remains one of the challenges that no military has been able to resolve perfectly over the years

Zhang Sihai looked like an old man, somewhat hunched over, with a head that was somewhat graying, wrinkles on his face, and wearing a somewhat faded 07-style camouflage training uniform. He walked in with his hands behind his back, smiling amiably, "Young people have such good spirit. When I was your age, I also liked to work overtime."

This is not a new topic of discussion, but rather a point of contention that has been debated back and forth for several decades

It is said that, but Li Zhan felt much more at ease. It is not that the second master does not value him, but rather that it just happened to be the busiest time, and the leaders were all occupied. Even amidst their busy schedules, they still remembered to ask the squad leader to come and explain the situation, which has already given enough face to this "rookie".

Zhang Sihai sat down on the sofa, his posture both upright and natural, clearly a habitual stance formed during his military career

Li Zhan readily agreed, "No problem!"

Qi Hong smiled and said, "Instructor, you are as vigorous as ever; many young men cannot compare to you. Look, today you flew for two hours as if it were nothing."

Zhang Sihai smiled and said, "We are not civil aviation pilots, and the military is not an airline. We are here to fight, and we must be prepared for casualties. Do you understand?"

Nie Jianfeng smiled and said, "Li Zhan, relax. We are both captains, there is no need for excessive formality. Will you treat me to a cup of tea?"

"No problem." Nie Jianfeng walked in, surveying the dormitory, and nodded slightly, "Not bad, you are the only one in recent years who can stay in a suite after entering the camp. The team values you highly. Moreover, you did a great job today!"

Qi Hong quickly walked over from behind the desk, "Commander, please take a seat. You are only fifty this year, and according to the relevant documents from the Supreme Command, you still fall within the category of young and middle-aged cadres."

In other words, if Zhang Sihai had not made this statement today, the only outcome awaiting Li Zhan would be a transfer to another location. While it is certain that he could fly, he absolutely could not remain in the Second Division

Zhang Sihai smiled, speaking at a moderate pace, and asked, "Xiao Qi, how do you view the relationship between practical training and training safety?"

Are you worried about the matters concerning the Chenglin landline?" Zhang Sihai asked with a smile

Qi Hongning nodded slightly and said, "Teacher, I understand."

He, I was really taken advantage of by Liu the Madman. Qi Hong shook his head with a bitter smile, I learned from the military district that this kid is from the Air Force talent pool. To recruit him, many leaders were approached. Later, I found out that Liu the Madman is his mentor, and after much persuasion, I even promised a seafood feast, and he finally relented. That was how I successfully brought him over. However, on the very first day, he gave me a harsh lesson. I regretted it.

Li Zhan quickly stood up and saluted, "Yes! Hello, Commander!"

Li Zhan's contemporaries are all lieutenants, while he is a captain. This is because he not only achieved two third-class merits but also entered the Air Force talent pool, which led to his exceptional promotion to captain, with a rank still at the deputy company level

It is not surprising for the commander of an aviation unit to fly, as there are clear regulations stating that military and political leaders of flying units at the division level and below are required to fly a specified number of hours each year

Qi Hong's nerves were tightly strung, as the upcoming month would encompass the Spring Festival, which was of great significance

Nodding slightly, Zhang Sihai said, "I heard that a new comrade went up today. I have read the flight log, and he is a very bold young man, daring to charge and fight. This is exactly the kind of soldier that the Second Division needs."

Two people shake hands

Zhang Sihai chuckled and said, "Back when we modified the Su-27, a few pilots believed it was not as good as the J-7. Why? Because they found it difficult to control. However, the reality is quite different; the gap between the second-generation and third-generation aircraft is enormous, representing a transformative change in air combat systems. The same applies to pilots; the more difficult it is to control, the more effort must be made to tame it. When you can command it with ease, you will have a capable subordinate under your command."

Undoubtedly, this teacher is a person of great determination. The nickname "Southern Overlord" was bestowed upon Zhang Sihai after he took office as the commander of the Second Division, given by the brother units. Evaluations from "opponents" are evidently more objective and truthful.

Li Zhan nodded, "Yes"

His statement is not exaggerated in the slightest

With a chuckle and a wave of his hand, Zhang Sihai said, "It is no longer possible to resist aging."

"Li Zhan, I heard that you are a member of the Air Force talent pool?" Nie Jianfeng asked with great curiosity

Someone knocked on the door, and Qi Hong looked up, immediately standing up, "Instructor."

In the evening, a large-scale relocation training that had been prepared for several months came to a successful conclusion. The Fourth Regiment retained six J-7E aircraft, while the rest were relocated to eastern Guangdong under the leadership of Regiment Commander He Guozheng. The Sixth Regiment relocated twelve SU-27SK aircraft from northern Guangxi to this training base, led by the deputy division commander who is stationed in northern Guangxi.

He hurried to pour the tea over.

Qi Hong looked up at Zhang Sihai

Li Zhan brought over the tea and invited Nie Jianfeng to sit down, saying with a bitter smile, "I got scolded; it seems the political commissar is quite dissatisfied with me."

Zhang Sihai initially worked in aircraft maintenance, later transitioned to flying, and after graduating from flight school, remained at the school as an instructor. He continued in this role until he was transferred to serve in the Air Force at the regiment level. He spent fifteen years from the regiment to the division level, serving a full five years as the commander of the Second Division

Qi Hong did not dare to conceal anything, and with a bitter smile, he slightly nodded, "Yes, instructor. The engine almost stalled in mid-air, which could have resulted in a catastrophic failure. Fortunately, Yu Chenglin, with his rich experience, promptly cut off the main fuel supply system and activated the backup fuel supply."

From now on, we will be part of the same squadron. Coincidentally, my lead aircraft, oh, that is the former squadron leader, has transitioned to a different role. The aircraft you are flying, 037, was his. From now on, you can be my wingman, what do you think?

At this point, he felt somewhat awkward, shrugged his shoulders and said, "There was originally supposed to be a welcome ceremony, and both the team leader and the political commissar would attend. However, all of that has already taken place, you are the last to arrive, and it coincides with important training."

Waving his hand, Nie Jianfeng returned the gesture, pointed to his captain's insignia, and said, "I am not a superior officer. Let me introduce myself, my name is Nie Jianfeng, the squad leader of the 7th squad. From now on, we will be comrades in arms"

They are talented individuals, but they are difficult to manage; it may be better not to have them.

Qi Hong is a very proud person; he is a star at Hainan Airlines and remains a star in the Air Force. He is a key personnel that the higher-ups are keen to cultivate. Even when facing the Chief of Staff, he may not show such deference; however, the Chief of Staff must address Zhang Sihai as 'Master'.

The Second Division implements a rotation training system involving three regiments, with three main airports serving as the basic venues. The three regiments are stationed at these locations and arrange their own rotation internally for a duration of one year. In other words, the training unit led by He Guozheng, consisting of sixteen J-7E aircraft, will remain in eastern Guangdong for an entire year