Memorial service held for China’s fighter jet J-15 production head

A high-profile memorial service was held for Luo Yang on Thursday morning in Shenyang, the birthplace of China’s new J-15 fighter jet as well as the provincial capital of Liaoning.Luo, head of the production phase of the J-15, experienced a heart attack on Sunday after observing aircraft carrier flight landing tests for China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. He later died in hospital.He was also chairman and general manager of Shenyang Aircraft Corp. (SAC), dubbed the “cradle of China’s fighter jets.”The SAC is a subsidiary of China’s state-owned aircraft maker, Aviation Industry Corp. of China (AVIC).Thousands of people stood in silence in the Huilonggang Cemetery for Revolutionaries in a tearful farewell to Luo.“It is a great show of respect for Luo and the huge group of China’s aviation industry, which features a strong research capacity and a dedicated spirit,” said Nie Hong, deputy president of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.After graduating from the Beijinghang University in 1982, Luo embarked on a 30-year career in aviation as a jet designer in Shenyang.“Serve the nation with a clear dream of aviation,” said Nie, adding that Luo and his peers persevered through the industry’s low points and finally embraced vigorous development that came alongside China’s growing economic strength.In the SAC plant area miles away from the cemetery, over 15,000 staff members observed a moment of silence in memory of Luo.In the assembly line of the J-15, technicians remained on duty to pay their respects to their beloved team leader.Luo’s sudden death came hours after the J-15 fighter jet successfully landed on the Liaoning.Since being delivered to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy on Sept. 25, the carrier has undergone a series of sailing and technological tests, including the flight of the carrier-borne J-15.