As warplanes were roaring past overhead and performing dazzling aerial stunts at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, spectators have to know that a dedicated team were working diligently and silently behind the scenes to guarantee their safe flight maneuvers.
Soldiers from the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force had been providing reliable support to the warplanes during the event.
They woke up early in the morning to do elaborate preparations and meticulous maintenance, including cleaning the runway before the daytime stunt flights.
Sharing the airport with civilian flights, their cleaning operations could only start after the airport closes each day.
"Every night, we use powerful blowers to thoroughly clean the runway, a process that takes about two hours. After that, we manually inspect the surface again to remove debris like stones or white trash left behind by large crowds. Such objects could be sucked into an aircraft's air intake during taxiing and pose a safety hazard," said Liu Zhongkun, a member of the support team.
Bird-strike prevention was another priority for the team.
This year, radar technology had been introduced to enhance precision and efficiency in monitoring bird activity.
In terms of managing parachute retrieval after aircraft landings, they must seize the right timing as each plane's landing interval varies and retrieving the drag chutes quickly and efficiently ensure smooth operations of the aircraft.
The team was also tasked with supporting international participants, including Russia's Su-57 stealth fighter jet and the Russian Knights aerobatic team.
Though they didn't pilot the jets, the crew took pride in their work.
The cheers and applause from the crowd were a rewarding acknowledgment of their behind-the-scenes efforts.
"Our work may not be known to most spectators, But this experience has broadened our horizons, strengthened our team and provided invaluable supporting experience, which will inspire us to excel in our future missions," said Li Rongcai, another team member.
The event, also known as Airshow China, is the largest air show in the country. It started on Nov 12 and concluded on Sunday in Zhuhai City, south China's Guangdong Province.
Support team makes behind-the-scenes contribution for success of Zhuhai Airshow
