Record-breaking flight leaves lasting memory of scenic beauty, comradery

On a beautiful day recently, I flew more than 2,300 kilometers from the Alxa League in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region to Zhuzhou, Hunan province, and was part of a team that set a record for the longest flight distance of a light aircraft in China.

The Shanhe Aerobatic Team had completed its performance at an airshow in Alxa and I joined three of the team members who flew two Aurora planes back to their company headquarters in Zhuzhou.

One of the co-pilots, Wang Cheng, served in the People's Liberation Army Air Force for 21 years and flew a fighter jet over Tian'anmen Square during the National Day parade in 2009. The two other pilots are also seasoned flyers who shared their valuable flying experience and skills with me.

The four of us flew over eight provincial-level regions, crossed the Yellow River three times, and also soared past deserts, mountains, plains and the Yangtze River.

The planes cruised at an altitude of 3,600 to 4,200 meters and their performance remained stable throughout the flight.

It is one of the happiest journeys I can remember, as I got to experience and view different landscapes without going abroad. I was most impressed with the unique landscape of the Loess Plateau, which has added a large amount of vegetation and greenery thanks to China's efforts in environmental protection.

We traveled through different general airports, with the aircraft shortening the traveling time it usually takes in a car by 30 to 50 percent.

With the rapid development of the low-altitude economy in China, policy support, and the improvement of laws and regulations, there are more general aviation airports and flying camps in the country. In the future, it will be more convenient to fly in light aircraft across different provincial regions.

We stopped at three airports to refresh ourselves and were greeted with the hospitality of fellow flyers and colleagues in the industry. As I look back on the extraordinary journey, it felt like we were visiting family and old friends.

In the aviation industry, there is a common phrase that people involved in general aviation are all one big family, and I gained a new perspective on this belief through the journey.

The long flight came to an end when we touched down at Lusong Airport in Zhuzhou.

Flying is attractive to anyone who loves life and wants to expand their perspectives and horizons.

Through the journey, I appreciated the beautiful diverse scenery of the country, whilst also experiencing the freedom and excitement of flying.

The memory is ingrained in me and the experience has also deepened my resolve to further explore the unknown.

If you also have a dream of flying and want to explore the seemingly untouchable sky, don't be afraid to make the first move. Life is all about new experiences and we write our stories together in the blue sky.