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China Album [Episode1]：The First Pilot to Fly over Tibet 国家相册：云端上的奇迹

1,738 views · Published 22 January 2017 · 1:58 · Indexed 3 October 2026

Channel: New China TV · 2017 · People & Blogs

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Historical moments captured by Xinhua photographers, generation by generation. True stories composed by moving photos. #ChinaAlbum, the unknown story about China. Episode1: The first pilot to fly over Tibet.

[SCRIPT］
In October 1949, 12 aircrafts flew north from Hong Kong to Beijing. 
That is just 1 month after the establishment of the People's Republic of China.  
The trip opened the first chapter of China's modern airline service. 
Pan Guoding is the who led the fleet.
Before leaving Hong Kong Pan told his wife that the family will reunite in Beijing. 
Leaving his family Pan wanted to fight for the nation’s dream to fly.

When he studied aviation in America as a young man 
An American expert said to him:"You yellow race can never become a pilot, or else the black can fly." 
Back to China Pan became China’s first chief pilot.  
He nurtured China’s civil aviation industry.

[SoundBite] Pan Yongding  Son of Pan Guoding
"I always felt that My father is always proud to be a Chinese"
In 1956, Pan successfully piloted his aircraft over Tibet,  where more than 100 Western pilots have died, breaking the “forbidden zone in the air.” 

The hardest route at the time was flying 1.5 hour at 15,000 feet.
His trip from Beijing to Lhasa was 3 hours at 20,000 feet. 
But Pan never have the chance to meet his wife. Not until 30 years later...
The couple met in the United States
Pan was on a Chinese delegation
For 15 minutes at the airport.  
The couple were in tears and did not speak.
Now, China operates 3300+ permanent routes.
It carries 400+ million passengers per year from 200+ airports in the country.
In less than 50 years, flying has become just as easy for the Chinese people.

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