Y-20 transport plane conducts first overseas airshow

China's Y-20 strategic transport plane conducted its first overseas performance on Tuesday, displaying complicated maneuvers to visitors at an airshow in Egypt.

The People's Liberation Army Air Force said in a news release that a Y-20 performed several stunts such as high-angle climbouts and dives, steep turns as well as low-speed flyovers during its nine-minute flight over the El Alamein International Airport on the first day of the Egypt International Airshow 2024.

The three-day event opened on Tuesday in the Mediterranean coastal city of El Alamein in northwestern Egypt, marking the first international airshow in the African nation.

Before the airshow in Egypt, the Y-20 had flown at multiple Chinese airshows though never at foreign events.

Pang Rongqi, one of the pilots who operated the Y-20 in the flight demonstration, was quoted as saying in the release that his crew designed a set of maneuvers for the Egyptian show, based on conditions at El Alamein International Airport, the positions of spectators and safety considerations, in an attempt to display the good maneuverability of the plane.

Developed by Aviation Industry Corp of China, a State-owned defense contractor, the Y-20's maiden flight was in January 2013. It started deliveries to the PLA Air Force from July 2016.

With a maximum takeoff weight of around 200 metric tons, the jet is able to transport cargo and personnel over long distances in diverse weather conditions. It is now one of the world's largest strategic heavy-lift jets, and is a pillar of the PLA Air Force's strategic transport capability, according to the Chinese military.

Before the commissioning of the Y-20, the PLA operated a transport fleet that mainly consisted of Y-7, Y-8 and their variants, all of which were designed based on types imported from the former Soviet Union.

In addition to the Y-20, the PLA Air Force also sent its August 1st Air Demonstration Team, China's best-known aerobatics team, to the Egyptian airshow.

Together with the Y-20, seven J-10 fighter jets from the August 1st team arrived in Egypt on Aug 26, after making the longest deployment the aerobatics unit has ever carried out in its 62-year history.

On Aug 28, the Chinese combat planes, led by the Y-20, flew over the renowned Giza Pyramids in a training flight.

The Egyptian airshow will mark the first time that the August 1st team flies in Africa.

Wang Mingzhi, a hardware expert with the PLA Air Force, said that the Chinese planes flew nearly 10,000 kilometers to arrive in Egypt and the long-distance flight was quite challenging.

The operation has testified to the flight skills and physical ability of Chinese pilots involved, and has also shown the PLA Air Force's long-range operational capability, he said.

Wang Yanan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said that the PLA Air Force's participation in foreign airshows represents its increased openness and confidence.

"By taking part in overseas events, Chinese pilots can show their skills and their aircraft's capability. Moreover, they can compare their own hardware and skills with those of foreign counterparts, and that will help them improve themselves," Wang said.