Successful first flight of second prototype of J20

By chankaiyee2 on May 18, 2012 • ( 4 )

According to Singtao Daily comprehensive report, the second prototype of J20 stealth fighter aircraft, China’s fifth-generation of combat aircraft, made its first flight in Chengdu in the afternoon of May 16. The aircraft flew for approximately 20 minutes and then landed safely. The flight is said to be a complete success. In its report, the official website says, “This marks the turning of a new page in the research and development of our fifth-generation aircraft.”

The official media did not give a report at the site, but all the major military websites in China provided netizens with live report on the first flight of the second prototype of J20 marked “#2002”. It is said that preparations for the first flight of #2002 fighter aircraft was made in the morning of May 16. First, two high-speed taxiing tests were carried out on the runway. In the afternoon more than ten buses carried a few hundred honoured guests to the airfield. An airliner brought in addition guests believed to have come from Beijing.

At 2:49 pm, the J20 marked “#2002” on its fuselage taxied into the runway and soon took off into the sky. According to the netizens present at the site, it was cloudy with relatively low clouds in Chengdu on that day, but they could still see how the J20 flew. It made horizontal flight sometimes and climbed at a sharp angle sometimes, giving full display of its stability and manoeuvrability. The aircraft landed on the runway smoothly on 3:08 pm.