World's Top Stunt Pilots: What Do They Think About Flying?
In the 2017 Sichuan International Aerospace Exhibition, The Spain Double Arrows Aerobatic Team won the hearts of mass audiences with their superb flying skills and stunning aerobatics. Uncle and nephew Ramón Alonso and Jorge Macías Alonso were the stars of the show. What do they think about China's aviation development?
From left to right: Jorge Macias and Ramon Alonso
Jorge Macias
Q: Hello! This time you came to China and came to Deyang of Sichuan. What's your impression of this place? Do you like it?
A: Yes, I feel very good. I like Deyang very much. It feels very comfortable here. Every morning I run around the river.
Q: What do you think about participating in the 2017 Sichuan International Aerospace Exhibition?
A: Ha ha. Nobody does not like the exhibition, it is very lively and interesting. I like the Sichuan Air Show very much, I am very happy to see so many tourists, who are very enthusiastic. The staff are also very friendly. I also like the planes here.
Q: On the airshow, you had a wonderful performance. Are you satisfied with your performance at this airshow?
A: The performance in the past few days was generally good. We did very well and didn't make any mistakes. We like to fly together (with uncle Ramon Alonso), especially we cooperated very well when we were flying in parallel or circling this time. It was a performance that we were satisfied with, which went well on the whole.
Q: You and your uncle made the aerobatics team, and as far as I know, your family is a family of flight, which is almost a microcosm of the flight history in Spain. Do you have other pilots in your family?
A: It's an exaggeration to say the history of Spanish flight, but there are many pilots in our family who have a very long flight history. My great-grandfather was the first pilot in the family, and that was in 1910, not long after the plane appeared. My grandfather was also a pilot, and my father, my uncle and I. We have four generations of pilots (five persons). And my mother and wife, as well as some of the female members of the family, are flight attendants. It looks like all our family loves flying!
Q: Why do you love flying so much? What do you think flying means to you?
A: On the one hand, it may be family edification, but the main reason is really just simply love. It's like other kids like playing football, and I liked planes since I was a kid, and I loved flying in the sky and loved that passion. We are now in Spain, in Europe, and are committed to delivering the passion of this flight to the new generation of pilots and children. This is the reason why I am here now. Because we're also trying to pass on the love of flying to Chinese kids, and I hope that more people will love it and be engaged in this career.
Q: As an excellent pilot, what do you think about the development of Chinese aviation?
A: I've been very surprised that China is building an aviation power. In such a short period of time, from the beginning of no talent, no experience to now having so many talents, many planes, which is really a remarkable achievement. I'm incredibly amazed at how fast China's aviation has grown, which is really amazing.
Ramon Alonso
Q: Welcome to China and Sichuan airshow. Do you like it here?
A: Yes, I like very much. It's a wonderful place. It has very beautiful scenery and lots of delicious Chinese food. I like it very much. The food in Sichuan is spicy, but I think it's delicious.
Q: Your performance in this airshow is wonderful. What preparations have you made for the show?
A: First of all, we have to practice every day, which of course is on the condition of debugging the aircraft and good weather. In addition, I also want to study and plan our flight path, and design our flight action and trajectory, which are very important.
Q: As far as we know, you are a very good test pilot. How many kinds of aircraft have you flown so far?
A: Till now, my flight hours are 25000 hours, almost 60 aircraft types, and fly almost all world famous special aircraft. More than 30 years of these experiences can be regarded as one of the things that make me proud.
Q: As the world champion of the ERIC MULLER Cup World Aerobatics Competition and also a civil aviation captain. How do you think of the two?
A: Yes, I fly the civil aviation and aerobatics. Flying civil aviation is my job, and aerobatics is my hobby. Aerobatics is a form of competition, which is a demonstration of our flight technology. For example, here, our aerobatic flying can win people's cheers and bring happiness to everyone, which is very important.
