Chapter 211
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Chapter 211: Turning the Impossible into Possible!
However, this guy remained fully focused on air combat, fighting aircraft. Otherwise, he would have been poached by Chen Haiqing’s National Defense Star and other aerospace manufacturing companies long ago.
"Right, I want to apply for a patent!" Lin Mo suddenly remembered that he had been too good at learning from Lei Feng, resulting in all major research institutes receiving copies of his meticulously designed blueprints, and nearly all of them were manufacturing their own experimental machines. Meanwhile, he got absolutely nothing in return—this was just too unfair.
"Haha, military technology? You think you can apply for a patent? That’s a naive thought! Let me tell you, individuals are not allowed to hold technology like this, and it’s already spread like wildfire," Chen Haiqing mocked Lin Mo for remembering this only now. Still, this "wildfire" was relative; on a special permission level, ordinary intelligence personnel and civilians couldn’t access such things.
Patents offered limited protection for civilian technology. Even today, one of the world’s top conglomerates, DuPont, wouldn’t dare to patent their Coca-Cola formula and titanium dioxide production process. Everyone knows that not just any amount of money can protect a goose that lays golden eggs.
The most unfortunate patent applicant in history was Nikola Tesla, who invented the great alternating current but faced relentless obstacles from the Morgan Consortium and General Electric, preventing him from applying for a patent and forcing him to abandon it. He ended up dying in poverty as a result.
In such matters, Lin Mo found it hard to take advantage.
"Hmph, if you want to use my technology, you have to give me a patent!" Lin Mo huffed angrily.
Chen Haiqing advised Lin Mo to relax, saying, "Come on, they have also given you a lot of help and benefits, right? It’s an equal exchange; you haven’t really lost out."
"Get ready! Let’s see how you perform!" Chen Haiqing continued, then shouted to a short distance away, "Engineer Liu, bring over the operation manuals for the three aircraft. Also, take this Captain Lin to the flight simulator; we’ll open Level 6 access for him over the next few days. He is our test pilot, and an ACE too."
Chen Haiqing had sold out Lin Mo without any burden.
"Okay, give me half an hour!" A man in a pure white jumpsuit waved back from a distance.
"Hmph! Just wait and see!" Lin Mo brimming with confidence, was excited at having the pick of three fighter jets. This was far from the glorious situation of having multiple wives in ancient times; his heart raced with anticipation.
Typically, a test pilot would need at least a month of preparation, including at least a week of theoretical study, fifteen days on the simulator, three days for a physical check, plus practice taxiing and other operational trials. During the test flight, they would first pilot the test aircraft for takeoffs and landings before gradually progressing to more difficult maneuvering operations.
However, for Lin Mo, this didn’t seem too daunting. He had solid foundations, and one-on-one comprehensive knowledge transfer from an aircraft design expert meant his theoretical grounding was much stronger than an average test pilot’s. Additionally, he had used various simulators and piloted MiG-21, FC-1 Fighter Jet, and J-10A. He was very familiar with the instrumental operations of both Chinese and Western styles, not to mention the J-20 series from 611 Institute was a piece of cake for him, let alone the X-1 he had personally created.
Once you understand one principle, you understand many; this posed little challenge for Lin Mo.
With the aura of an ACE pilot, Lin Mo exceeded the limits of the combination maneuvering techniques; based on the tactical reports submitted after numerous combat experiences, researchers noted that the continuous high overload combo moves surpassed physiological limits and could be harmful to the body, warning others to avoid imitation as it could easily cause injury or even life-threatening situations.
This annotation immediately made Lin Mo’s tactical report a treasured item. Only technicians and professional pilots understood how terrifying the data from Lin Mo’s black box after each real battle was. Yet this guy remained lively and healthy, unaffected at all.
If one does not have the physical condition of a Dragon Knight, copying Lin Mo’s combat techniques would almost be akin to courting death.
It’s like a skilled fighter facing off; simple jabs and hooks cannot compare to combo punches. Under circumstances where the body cannot keep up, forcing it would only harm oneself.
Lin Mo had his blood samples, hair, and saliva taken for genetic testing, but the human genetic code is vast like an ocean. Deciphering it is not something that can be done in a day or two.
"Lin Mo, how is the progress on your ‘monstrous’ aircraft?" Professor Yan asked Lin Mo privately about his self-made "monstrous" fighter jet, knowing well that creating an aircraft that looks even somewhat decent is not an easy task.
Lin Mo jumped down from the X-1, patted its fuselage, and replied, "I’ve poured in over forty million but only have a framework so far, and many components are still in production, yet to arrive."
"You rascal!" Professor Yan shook his head with a wry smile. He originally thought Lin Mo would just produce the blueprints and make a model, but it turned out this young man was serious about it. One must say, this young man’s spirit of adventure was fearless.
"Forty million, how much do I have to spend? I’m thinking at least tens of billions, right? Back when we worked on the J-20, the country invested at least four billion just to develop three prototypes,” Professor Yan was an experienced expert who participated in designing the J-10 and J-20, and he was definitely aware of the costs of aircraft manufacturing.
"I don’t think it needs that much. I estimate it to be around four to five billion," Lin Mo stroked his chin, appearing quite confident. The most critical engine part was already resolved, and the rest didn’t seem too difficult. With the three million he earned from working odd jobs in Pakistan, he could hold on for a while and aim to complete it within two years.
Three million! The Indians had probably lost thirty-four billion trying to earn that from Lin Mo. If they knew, they would likely be crying and trying to shove protection money into Lin Mo’s hands.
"Four to five billion?!" Professor Yan’s eyes nearly popped out. "Where are you robbing that amount from? Come on, explain how you plan to solve the dashboard, the landing gear system, and the main frame structure. Each of those is custom-made. These non-assembly line products can’t be cheap. I bet just the specialized landing gear costs three million."
The Americans quoted a research budget for the F-22 for Japanese imperials that reached up to 2.3 billion. Lin Mo’s budget—enough to paralyze an ordinary person—made Professor Yan think this kid would be better off robbing the treasury.
"Three million for the landing gear? No way, I bought it for only five hundred thousand!" Lin Mo hurriedly defended, insisting he had the receipt with a bright red stamp to prove it, and they were responsible for warranties too.
"Five hundred thousand? They must have lost their minds! These wheels, bearings, retraction systems—they’re all proprietary technologies! The landing gear for the J-10 and J-8 are not the same system. The manufacturer wouldn’t produce a batch of standardized parts in advance, like changing a tire on a whim." Professor Yan knew well how much landing gear affects aerodynamics, but his tone softened as he seemed to remember something. He continued, "Perhaps like Xiao Chen said, they gave you a discount due to technical exchange, but how could you still ask for design fees? You nincompoop were completely in the dark."
Professor Yan rolled his eyes, wondering how he ended up with such a clueless apprentice.
As professionals in the industry, Professor Yan knew the ins and outs of Lin Mo’s blueprints, which contained many innovative designs and concepts. Many were aware that as an unofficial document, it held certain peculiarities, allowing only for private exchanges.
There were quite a few designers and research institutes like Lin Mo who didn’t give up, and the manufacturers secretly giving Lin Mo discounts also wanted to see just how far he could go. On one hand, they were trying to please this future design expert, and on the other, they truly hoped he could make the "monstrous" fighter jet. This unspoken understanding required no words.
"How would I know? They didn’t tell me anything. I just deal with the price quoted to me and pay to place the order," Lin Mo replied, lacking any inclination to bargain. Whatever price they quoted was what he accepted. Signing the order felt no different to him than online shopping.
As Professor Yan and Chen Haiqing expected, manufacturers quoted Lin Mo prices lower than the cost price, specifically considering the technological value of that blueprint. This couldn’t be patented either, unless Lin Mo opened a factory for contract manufacturing, but the government wouldn’t allow such excellent technology to go to waste.
Some components’ sources were so obscure that even the manufacturers couldn’t find out; they were simply products from research institute laboratories. They weren’t profit-driven entities. Once they received the blueprints, they couldn’t possibly feel justified in asking Lin Mo for more money.
"There are still good people in the world; you learning from Lei Feng is truly a good sign!" Professor Yan completely lost his temper and playfully teased his apprentice. This somewhat clueless young man hadn’t yet fallen victim to anyone despite all that had happened; it was indeed a reason to give thanks.
Nonetheless, this trip was truly worthwhile. Professor Yan felt once again the atmosphere he had before retirement, and the three newly modified fighter models really exceeded his expectations. A wealth of information could be gleaned from them.
As the saying goes, outsiders watch for excitement while insiders know the intricacies. Professor Yan’s wealth of advanced technical knowledge finally had a place to demonstrate its power. To put it bluntly, to some extent, he also benefited from being associated with Lin Mo. If he had adhered to the standards for hosting other invited experts, he might still be at the hotel, not seeing the actual aircraft until day after tomorrow.
“Captain Lin, your materials have arrived!” A middle-aged man dressed in a pure white jumpsuit approached, carrying a metal briefcase. “The simulator is over there by the door. If you’re ready, I can take you there now.”
“This is our Engineer Liu Dongshan, an expert responsible for airframe equipment,” Chen Haiqing introduced Lin Mo to Professor Yan.
“Great, thank you! Let’s go take a look!” Lin Mo winked at Professor Yan, seeking the teacher’s opinion.
