Yu Xu
{{Short description|Chinese fighter pilot}}
{{family name hatnote|Yu|lang=Chinese}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Yu Xu
| image = Yu Xu.jpg
| caption = Yu with a U.S. Air Force F-16C at Langkawi, Malaysia.
| native_name = 余旭
| birth_date = March 1986
| birth_place = Chongqing County, Sichuan, China
(present day Chongzhou, Sichuan, China)
| death_date = 12 November 2016 (aged 30)
| death_place = Yutian County, Hebei, China
| nationality = Chinese
| occupation = Military pilot
}}
Yu Xu ({{zh|余旭}}; March 1986 – November 12, 2016){{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/asia/china-woman-fighter-pilot-killed/|title=Horrific crash kills Yu Xu, 1st woman to fly China's J-10 fighter|publisher=CNN|first=Brad|last=Lendon|date=November 14, 2016|access-date=November 14, 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-11/13/c_135824789.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114002341/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-11/13/c_135824789.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 14, 2016|title=Chinese female pilot dies in flight training|date=November 13, 2016|agency=Xinhua|access-date=November 14, 2016}} was a Chinese female fighter pilot who served as a flight squadron leader in the August 1st aerobatic team of the People's Liberation Army Air Force.
Early life
Yu was born in Chengdu, the capital of the southwestern Chinese province Sichuan.{{cite news|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2045607/call-more-training-after-death-chinese-woman-pilot|title=Death of China's first female J-10 fighter pilot Yu Xu sparks call for more training|date=November 13, 2016|last=Li|first=Jing|publisher=South China Morning Post}}
Education
Yu entered the military as a student at the PLA Air Force Aviation University in 2005, and graduated in 2009.{{cite news|url=http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2016-11/14/content_27371172.htm|title=Woman fighter pilot inspired nation|publisher=China Daily|date=November 14, 2016|last=Lei|first=Zhao|access-date=November 14, 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/14/501998081/questions-about-chinas-military-training-after-female-fighter-pilot-dies|date=November 14, 2016|publisher=National Public Radio|title=Questions About China's Military Training After Female Fighter Pilot Dies|last=Hersher|first=Rebecca|access-date=November 14, 2016}} Sixteen women (including Yu) had graduated that year, which made her among the first women certified to fly fighter jets.
Career
Yu joined the People's Liberation Army Air Force in September 2005. Yu appeared with the other female pilots at the 2010 CCTV New Year's Gala. In 2012, she was certified to fly the Chengdu J-10, single-engine jet. Yu's fans referred to her with the nickname, "Golden Peafowl."{{Cite web|title=China's first female J-10 fighter pilot killed in air crash|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/11/14/Chinas-first-female-J-10-fighter-pilot-killed-in-air-crash/1671479132022/|access-date=2022-02-24|website=UPI|language=en}}
Death
Yu died during an aerobatic training session on November 12, 2016, after being struck by another plane as she ejected from the J-10.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-37970927|title=China mourns first female J-10 pilot after death in training|date=November 14, 2016|publisher=BBC|access-date=November 14, 2016}} However, some official press reported she was unable to eject on time from her plane before it made impact with the ground.{{cite web |url=http://www.skynews.com.au/news/world/asiapacific/2016/11/13/chinese-female-fighter-pilot-dies-in-crash.html |title=Chinese female fighter pilot dies in crash |website=www.skynews.com.au |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114171308/http://www.skynews.com.au/news/world/asiapacific/2016/11/13/chinese-female-fighter-pilot-dies-in-crash.html |archive-date=2016-11-14}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yu, Xu}}
Category:People's Liberation Army Air Force personnel
Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in China
Category:Chinese women aviators
Category:PLA Air Force Aviation University alumni
Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 2016
{{China-bio-stub}}
{{Aviation-bio-stub}}