Female pilots trained for J-10

A group of Chinese female pilots have recently made their first solo flights in the J-10 combat aircraft, becoming the first female air force pilots capable of flying the multirole aircraft — the country's most advanced fighter jet.

The five female pilots completed solo flights and missions navigating the J-10 on July 29 and 30, the PLA Daily reported on Wednesday.

The flights took place in an airfield in North China, the paper said, without identifying the airfield's name.

J-10, F-10 Vanguard, is a fighter jet also known as the designed and produced by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corp.

The aircraft, called the "Vigorous Dragon" in the West, is a multirole combat aircraft capable of air-to-air combat and ground-attack missions.

The paper said the five women were among China's first group of 16 female pilots. They have served in the air force's combat troops after graduating from domestic flying colleges in 2009.

He Xiaoli, one of the five pilots, has participated in a fly-over of Tian'anmen Square during the National Day Parade in honor of the 60 anniversary of the People's Republic of China, the paper said.

Given the strict training and their diligence, the female pilots can do what men can, Wang Qin, one of the group's instructors, was quoted as saying.

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