PLA Navy Graduates First Female Shipborne Pilots, Integrating Them into Aircraft Carrier Fleet
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has announced that its first batch of female shipborne pilot trainees have successfully passed their graduation assessments and have been assigned to frontline units. These pilots, all born after 2000 and trained by the Naval Aviation University, underwent rigorous selection, live-aircraft screening, and comprehensive flight training, including demanding day and night landings, confined-area takeoffs, and search and rescue operations. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the PLA Navy, expanding its aviation talent pool and breaking historical gender barriers in shipborne flight. According to Chinese military affairs expert Wang Yunfei, these female pilots will initially operate shipborne helicopters, with expectations for female fixed-wing carrier fighter pilots to emerge as the training system matures.
