New milestone reached for the indigenous aircraft program! Flight delivery for the second mass production aircraft, the new “Brave Eagle” advanced jet trainer, was conducted on December 22 under the leadership of Hu, Kai-Hung, Chairman of the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC). The aircraft took off from Ching-Chuan-Kang AFB in Taichung and flew across the Central Mountain Range before touching down perfectly at Chihhang AFB in Taitung. The flight served as validation of the new advanced jet trainer aircraft’s outstanding performance, safety and reliability.
After the first advanced jet trainer completed its flight delivery at Chihhang AFB on November 29, Hu rode as a passenger on the advanced jet trainer prototype with the aircraft number 11001 when it took off from Ching-Chuan-Kang AFB yesterday and led the second mass production aircraft (No. 1102) on its flight across the Central Mountain Range. They then met up with the first mass production aircraft (No. 1101) off the coast of Taitung before conducting a high-speed, low-altitude flyby of Chihhang AFB in Vic formation as a salute to the Air Force. The aircraft proceeded to circle the base before landing for its formal handover to the Air Force.
In his speech, Hu said that the successful flight delivery of the second mass production aircraft this year represented a new page in the history of the “Brave Eagle” indigenous aircraft program. It also marked a new milestone in integrating “indigenous military aircraft production” and “military aircraft support and maintenance” for AIDC. Hu thanked the Air Force, National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, partner units, and the local people of Taitung because their support and encouragement were essential to the successful research and development of the new advanced jet trainer. He was particularly grateful to everyone at AIDC for keeping the entire advanced jet trainer program on schedule.
Hu noted that a dedicated Brave Eagle advanced jet trainer support and maintenance team had been set up at Chihhang AFB by AIDC. With the help of the Air Force and CSIST, the team will ensure that Brave Eagles can fulfill their design performance and training requirements in an operational environment. The comprehensive support capability provided by the team will ensure complete and timely support and maintenance services for the Air Force. Hu encouraged the support personnel to focus on maintaining high availability and high efficiency no matter what happens. The new advanced jet trainer program also enabled the cultivation of many outstanding aeronautical specialists by AIDC. Their talent will help stimulate industry development and serve as the cornerstones of indigenous aircraft production and support.
Source: Youth Daily News, Ministry of Defense (December 23, 2021)