Chapter 116

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Chapter 116: Engineer Yan from the 611 Institute

Today is the first day of the airshow, and the weather is perfect for flying. In addition to the fixed exhibition area, there is a flight demonstration zone where Lin Mo, a professional, feels right at home. He examines every aircraft intently, eager to touch them whenever he gets the chance.

Zhuhai’s weather is quite hot, making it difficult for Gold Coin to maintain its watch form and remain unnoticed on Lin Mo’s wrist. Anyone paying attention would surely notice something unusual. Instead, it transforms into a slim ring, quickly slipping into the aircraft whenever Lin Mo touches it, analyzing with incredible speed and returning to his finger just in time for his last contact.

With the security pass in hand, no one could tell if Lin Mo was a tourist; he would merely appear as an overly curious visitor. Unbeknownst to them, during what seemed like ordinary touches, those high-end military and civilian technologies were unknowingly accessed.

The airshow features not just large passenger jets like the A380 but also various models of military and civilian aircraft, and even space rockets and satellites. It’s as if a feast was laid out for the gold giant dragon, allowing it to experience these typically rare items in their full glory.

By the end of this airshow, the gold giant dragon might even evolve into a uniquely designed fighter jet, rather than just a simple imitation, but a fully functional new model that wouldn’t even require validation from high-speed wind tunnels.

As the staff began serving lunch, Lin Mo grabbed a boxed meal and made his way to the spectator area of the flight demonstration zone, preparing to eat while waiting for the afternoon performances to begin. Having often flown himself and performed various tactical maneuvers, watching others perform aerial tricks on the ground would greatly enhance his flying skills.

The flight demonstration hadn’t started yet; he could see planes in striking colors parked on the tarmac, including J-10s, FC-1s, Su-30s, MiG-29s, F-16s, and Typhoon fighters, all arranged in squads. Armed soldiers guarded them closely, not allowing anyone to approach.

The audience area was filling up with many spectators waiting for the show to start. Among them were not only Chinese viewers but also several foreigners, including reporters and military personnel from abroad.

The flight demonstrations are not just for show; they are crucial for showcasing aircraft performance to attract orders. This is the real highlight, as military forces from all nations prepare for the airshow, eager to display the most cost-effective fighter jets and outstanding pilots to outshine their competitors and secure fighter jet export deals.

As he enjoyed his boxed meal, Lin Mo noticed an elderly man sitting next to him. This old man appeared quite professional, setting up a DV camera on a tripod, pulling out a notebook from his backpack, seemingly jotting down notes, and zooming in on the planes on the tarmac. It was clear he came prepared.

“Ah! The materials are below standard, the engine life isn’t up to par, and the aerodynamic layout needs improvement! That’s just how the J-10 is! We have to wait for the J-14.” The old man spoke to himself, scribbling in his notebook, his words clear to Lin Mo’s ears.

“Excuse me, young man, could you help me out?”

Suddenly, the old man tapped Lin Mo on the shoulder, pulling him away from his meal.

“What’s the matter?” Lin Mo swallowed the last bite of food and looked at the old man with curiosity.

“The DV button is too small for me to see. Being old makes my hands and feet less nimble. During the flight demonstration, could you help me film the planes?” The elderly man wore black-framed glasses, had silver hair, and his forehead was lined with wrinkles, giving him an intellectual appearance.

“Sure! No problem at all!” Lin Mo nodded, something so easy to do. He tossed his meal aside as the old man moved the DV camera in front of him. The elder opened a bottle of water and gulped it down, hastily finishing his sparse lunch.

“Thank you so much! You know, as a senior, my hands aren’t as quick anymore, and these high-tech gadgets are really only made for the young. There’s never any consideration for us older folks.” The old man continued to chat while reaching into his bag to pull out an apple, offering it to Lin Mo. “Here, take an apple as a post-lunch snack to help with digestion. What’s your name, young man?”

“Thank you, sir! My name is Lin Mo. May I ask your surname?” Lin Mo accepted the apple and examined the DV camera—it seemed user-friendly enough without needing a manual. He tested it out; with 200x optical zoom and 1080P high definition, plus a 64G storage card, it was indeed a great tool for discreet filming, making it easy to spot tire treads on the landing gear of planes over a kilometer away.

“My last name is Yan, so you can call me Uncle Yan. Do you know how to use that DV?” Uncle Yan said, noticing Lin Mo fiddling with the camera and apologetically adding, “I’m sorry, but I forgot to bring the manual this time.”

“It’s all good! You don’t need a manual for these things; they’re usually quite similar regardless of brand; it’s not too complicated,” Lin Mo said, quickly figuring out the device. He recalled how someone had taught him to use his DSLR during an earlier assignment, and after completing that mission, he diligently learned the operation of various electronic products to avoid being seen as inexperienced.

As he waited for the flight demonstration to start, Lin Mo accidentally revealed a fruit knife as if by magic. He began to peel the apple while asking Uncle Yan, “Did you come alone to the flight demonstration? Where is your family?”

“My son is abroad, and my partner passed away two years ago. Now, it’s just me. I usually like tinkering with planes, so I bought a ticket to come here!” Uncle Yan said, seemingly nostalgic, his white hair and beard hinting at cherished memories of the past.

“Have you had lunch yet, Uncle Yan?” Lin Mo swiftly finished peeling the apple.

“Oh, I brought some bread,” Uncle Yan replied, showing Lin Mo a few slices of white toast from his backpack.

“You can’t just eat bread! You should have some rice to fill you up. Let me get you a boxed meal! Here, have an apple first!” Lin Mo insisted, pressing the peeled apple into Uncle Yan’s hands.

“No, no, that won’t do! I’m fine with just the bread!” Uncle Yan waved his hands, but he couldn’t resist the younger man’s insistence and reluctantly accepted.

“It’s okay! I know someone here, so I can get a boxed meal for free. Just enjoy the apple, and I’ll be right back!” Lin Mo flashed his work ID badge in front of Uncle Yan and rushed to the area where staff were giving out meals to collect another box for his new friend.

“I really appreciate this! Thank you, young Lin!” Uncle Yan was touched when he saw the steaming boxed meal, while the apple had still not made it to his mouth.

“Just eat the apple! Otherwise, the meal will get cold. You can give me another apple later!” Lin Mo smiled, knowing that the flavor of fragrant cooked rice far outstripped that of dry toast, and he would not hesitate to help where he could.

“Really, I couldn’t! This is too much!” Uncle Yan understood Lin Mo’s kindness but felt unable to refuse this enthusiastic young man, so he obliged and took a bite of the apple Lin Mo had peeled.

“Hey, how old are you now, and where do you work?” Uncle Yan asked as he pulled another apple from his bag and offered it to Lin Mo.

“I’m 24 and an air force pilot! I happened to be on leave recently and came here to observe and learn,” Lin Mo replied, taking a bite of the apple he had just peeled.

It wasn’t exactly a secret, and one could easily find out about Lin Mo’s whereabouts if they looked closely. However, delving deeper would be a challenge. Since entering “Night,” the security bureau had seized all his records from kindergarten through college, leaving no trace of his name.

“Oh! That’s impressive! You’re still in theoretical study, right? Are you flying the J-7 or the J-8?” Uncle Yan seemed to understand pilot training well; ordinary pilots typically needed a few years of theory and flight preparation before they could solo.

Lin Mo glanced at Uncle Yan with intrigue and asked, “No, I already have my own aircraft, the J-10A. Uncle Yan, what did you do before?”

“Me?” Uncle Yan smiled slightly. “Actually, this relates to you a bit. I was an aircraft design engineer before retiring, focusing on aerodynamics. I used to work at the 611 Institute, which is a confidential organization.” His tone conveyed a hint of pride.

The 611 Institute, Lin Mo didn’t know, is the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute, involved in aircraft design and multidisciplinary aerospace research. It was responsible for developing the J-7, FC-1, J-10, and J-20, with three of China’s top ten aircraft designers: aviation pioneer Tu Jida, the father of the J-10 Song Wencong, and the “Iron Man” Yang Wei.

One could say the 611 Institute had formidable research capabilities and was a crucial base for fighter jet design in China.

“Is that true? That’s amazing!” Admiration welled up in Lin Mo; designing and manufacturing aircraft isn’t simple, requiring a whole supply chain to produce a plane. The design research is paramount, considering many factors; aerial forces often represent the most visible mark of a nation’s strength.

“Oh, so you fly the J-10A? That’s impressive; the requirements for pilots are quite high. If you’re even a moment too slow in reaction, it won’t work,” Uncle Yan said with earnest interest. Happily, he pulled out a booklet from his backpack, filled with images of various domestic and foreign fighter jets, along with extensive specifications, illustrations of structures, aerodynamics, and annotations, flipping to the section on the J-10.