Will you feel fairly comfortable when you hear greetings from female pilots on a plane? There are only three professional female pilots for civil aviation since the new China was established, and the three "precious" female pilots showed up for the fist time in the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport on May 31. They were young, energetic, and beautiful, drawing people's attention.

In July 2003, "to be a female pilot" became headlines soon after the Zhejiang branch company of Air China announced their intention to recruit pilot trainees without gender restriction in some areas.

Up to 300 girls or more from everywhere in the country submitted applications in just one day. After strict examination and selection, Huang He, Wang Zheng, and Lu Yahong became the lucky ones.

The three girls began to get professional training by the Spartan Company in the United States in December 2004. After nearly one year, they obtained several flight licenses with outstanding performances. In some subjects they did even better than male trainees, winning teachers' high praise.

According to concerned chief of the Zhejiang branch company of Air China, there were two reasons driving them to recruit female pilots. First, as captains also undertook the broadcasting job aboard, women pilots being more amiable and gentle would be more suitable than men for the job. Next, there had been many female pilots in other countries while Air China, as one of the biggest air companies in China, should also have their own women pilots.

The three female pilots said although women's physical conditions are not as good as men, women can distinguish above men in that they are more patient and careful than the latter especially in long flights. "We can fly as great as men!" they said.

(Chinanews.cn June 5, 2006)