Flying one of the world's most lethal warplanes makes Yu Xu, Tao Jiali, Sheng Yifei and He Xiaoli different from others their age.
The four women in their late 20s－China's first female fighter jet pilots－have launched an "aerobatic charm offensive" on tens of thousands of visitors at a major air show in Malaysia, the first such performance by Chinese female pilots outside China.
"This is our first time flying out of our territorial sky and performing at an international air show, which means a lot to us," Yu said after taking part in a performance on Tuesday at the biennial Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition, one of the biggest defense equipment shows in the Asia-Pacific.
"Through the performance, we can display the good image of Chinese female pilots and the Chinese air force," she added. "We will let the whole world know that we are able to do things that many men think women can't."
The PLA air force's August 1st Air Demonstration Team, China's best-known aerobatic flight display team, flew to Langkawi on March 11 for its second overseas show following the 2013 Moscow air show.
After the opening ceremony on Tuesday morning, Yu and six male PLA pilots gave a 25-minute aerobatic show in the J-10 fighter jet, one of China's most advanced military aircraft.
They performed various formations, solo flying and a flyby for the audience.
Colonel Cao Zhenzhong, commander of the August 1st team, said the team prepared three sets totaling 20 maneuvers for the show.
The team will give four performances during the five-day exhibition, which concludes on Saturday. The other three female pilots will perform in the coming days, Yu said.
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Flying one of the world's most lethal warplanes makes Yu Xu, Tao Jiali, Sheng Yifei and He Xiaoli different from others their age.
