First batch of China´s female jet fighter pilots to debut at National Day parade

Source: Xinhua | 04-02-2009 16:26

JINZHOU, Liaoning, April 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 16 Chinese female jet fighter pilots will take part in the National Day parade to be held in October to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, a military source said Thursday.

Pilot trainees pose for photos at the graduation ceremony  at the Third Army Aviation Institute in China, April 2, 2009. China's first batch of female jet fighter pilots were  conferred the rank of lieutenant on April 2. The 16 pilots, aged 21 to 24, graduated after 44 months of training. They  will take part in the National Day parade to be held in  October to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, a military source said. (Xinhua/Tan Chao)

The pilots will begin preparation for the parade soon.

The pilots are the country's first batch of female jet fighter pilots. Previous female pilots recruited by the Air Force of People's Liberation Army (PLA) were mostly assigned to cargo aircraft piloting, navigation or telecom services.

The 16 pilots, aged 21 to 24, graduated after almost four years of training from the Jinzhou-based Third Army Aviation Institute, the alma mater of China's astronauts Zhai Zhigang and Liu Boming.