Li Bin, leader of the Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, attributed the team's success at Zhuhai Airshow to proficient teamwork, rigorous training and flight virtuosity with the J-10C fighter jets.
In 2009, Li joined the Bayi Aerobatic Team. As a fighter pilot, he has accumulated 4,000 hours of safe flight time. Within the team, Li Bin also serves as the flight lead, guiding the formation.
At the just-concluded 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China, in Zhuhai City, south China's Guangdong Province, six fighter jets from the aerobatic team took part in the performances. The jets executed precise formations while showcasing a variety of flight maneuvers, highlighting the exceptional skill and proficiency of the pilots.
Displayed at the airshow for the 11th time, their performance this year was titled "Sword Looping."
"We named our performance 'Sword' because it represents the image on our fighter jet. The name is both powerful and easy to remember," said Li.
During the show, the six J-10C fighters of China's Bayi Aerobatic Team flipped and pranced in the air, trailing colored smokes in a graceful and agile manner, which required pilots' tacit cooperation and precise operation.
"Red is the color that most represents China. Yellow is derived from the color of the stars on our national flag. Additionally, the flags of the Communist Party of China and the PLA both contain the color of yellow. Blue refers to the blue section of the PLA Air Force flag. We aim to match the colored smoke in our performance with the colors of the CPC flag, the PLA flags, and the national flag," Li said.
Initially founded in 1962, the Bayi Aerobatic Team was renamed 25 years later after the PLA's founding date, which falls on August 1.
Over the years, the team has operated seven different aircraft types. Since 2009, all the aircraft used by the Bayi Aerobatic Team have been domestically produced.
In 2023, the team officially transitioned to the J-10C fighter jets—supersonic, multipurpose aircraft independently developed by China. These advanced jets are capable of maintaining short- and medium-range air superiority, while also being equipped to strike both ground and sea targets. "This is the J-10C fighter jet that we equipped last year. As soldiers, the sword painting on the fighter inspires us to uphold the spirit of drawing the sword. These are the national flags of the countries where we have performed. We have performed overseas 11 times in eight countries," he said.
Equipping the team with new fighter jets marks a fresh starting point, prompting Li and his team members to train harder, with stricter requirements and higher standards.
"Before we were equipped with the J-10C, the distance between the fighters was three meters. However, with the new jet, the distance has been reduced to just over one meter, which presents a significant mental challenge for our pilots," Li said.
Such a short distance is not the absolute limit of safe flying.
"As an aerobatic team, safety is our top priority. As our former leader once said, we must maintain some leeway, although the margin in formation flying is much smaller than that for combat troops. Nonetheless, we will still have that leeway," Li said.
Established in 1962, the PLA's Bayi Aerobatic Team is mainly tasked to escort and perform for honorable guests of the State. Since its establishment, the team has conducted over 700 performances.
Bayi Aerobatic Team leader attributes success at airshow to proficient teamwork
