A screenshot from a commemoratory video of China's first female J-10 fighter jet pilot. (Photo : CNN.com)
Elite military aerobatics pilot Yu Xu, 30, died in a fatal training accident in Hebei Province.
According to reports, the double-seater J-10 crashed while Yu was on board. Luckily for her male co-pilot, he ejected in time and landed to safety.
Born in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Yu was recruited in July 2005 to be a part of a 35-strong woman group to train as pilots at the PLA Air Force Aviation University.
However, only 16 of them which includes Yu, graduated in 2009 to become one of China's pioneering female pilots. Moreover, Yu was one of the only four women Chinese pilots certified to fly the third generation of the fighter jet.
Yu joined the performance at the Airshow China 2016 which showcases air stunts as part of an elite crew of aerobatic pilots known as August 1st Air Demonstration Team.
She first flew the J-10 fighter in July 2012 and became the first woman to fly the fighter jet, which made her describe herself as "a real fighter pilot."
According to aviation expert Wang Ya'nan, Yu, together with other female aerobatic pilots, are part of the female aerobatic pilot training China has pioneered.
This program started without prior foreign experience and statistics to serve as a basis. From this, a great amount of respect is due to female aerobatic pilots who have taken unprecedented risks.
On Nov. 15, the Chinese Air Force proclaimed Yu as a "revolutionary martyr."
The commemoration of the female pilot did not end within the ranks of the air force. She gained the admiration of her countrymen, honoring and paying tribute to her life across social media.
