ON DISPLAY: The weapons and equipment for the Z-9WZ armed reconnaissance helicopter (SHI GANG)

Aims further

In addition to routine flight training, the regiment has been assigned missions on emergency rescue and disaster relief, anti-terrorism and security to improve its performance in non-combat military operations.

Since 2000, the regiment has retrieved nine Shenzhou spacecraft re-entry capsules. Zhang's memory of the recovery of the country's first manned re-entry capsule remains fresh. At 6:07 a.m. on October 16, 2003, the regiment's helicopter spotted the descending Shenzhou 5 spacecraft carrying China's first astronaut, Yang Liwei, and managed to conduct visual flight at risk of collision with falling debris and a huge parachute. Sixteen minutes later, it landed simultaneously with the capsule.

"We retrieved the unmanned re-entry capsules before. The pressure was less than for the manned one," Zhang told Beijing Review. "I felt relieved when I saw Yang was safe and in good condition."

During the 8.0-magnitude Wenchuan earthquake in May 2008, the regiment sent 131.4 tons of relief materials to quake zones and airlifted 349 injured people in 41 days. In the National Day parade for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 2009, the regiment was the first echelon in the army aviation formation over the Tiananmen Square.

"It is the greatest pride of my lifetime to participate in it," said Zhao, who has more than 3,000 flight hours.

"My flight hours are just over 500 so I have yet been assigned significant missions so far, but I'll keep training and learning," Li said. "The longer I serve the army, the clearer I know that being an army aviation pilot is not all about glory and success. I have to work harder and I'm confident I will become a pilot like Zhao in the future."

Since being promoted to regiment commander in 2009, Zhang said that he had to think more to maintain the regiment's advantage. How to improve the operational capability is his top priority.

"Our mission space is known as 'the fifth space,' which is around 20 meters, only higher than a tree. The army is in the process of transformation. We should seize the opportunity and nurture more talent," Zhang told Beijing Review. "Besides, we have to take full advantage of our strengths in equipment to get our jobs done better. The core of the army is its combat effectiveness."

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