Xi Jinping pays tribute to head of jets program

China's Party chief Xi Jinping yesterday paid tribute to the 51-year-old head of production for China's J-15 fighter who died on Sunday and asked all Party members and officials to learn from Luo Yang's spirit.

"I deeply grieve for Luo's death and have sent sincere condolences to his family," Xi, also chairman of the Party's Central Military Commission, said.

Xi said Luo had made outstanding contributions to the aviation industry and his death was a great loss to the country.

Xi asked relevant departments to take good care of Luo's family.

Luo, chairman and general manager of the Shenyang Aircraft Corp, died a day after he witnessed the successful take-off and landing of two fighter jets on China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.

Yesterday, he was awarded the title of "Aviation Industry Hero and Model," for his contributions to the aviation industry, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China announced.

Luo's wife's last words to her husband, before the body was taken to a funeral parlor on Monday evening, were: "Luo Yang, I know you were too tired these days." Wang Xili recalled: "The last words he told me during our last call on Saturday were 'the experiments have been successful, all the missions have been accomplished'."

She said it was the only call Luo made to her during the eight days of exercises designed to test the J-15's take-off and landing ability on the carrier.

"Luo always had little time to accompany his wife and daughter because he had to work from early morning till midnight every day," said Ren Zhongkai, Luo's secretary. He said Luo had only once asked for leave - a half day to accompany his daughter when she sat the national college entrance examination.

Luo had been on the carrier since the morning of November 18, shortly after he attended the Zhuhai air show in southeast Guangdong Province.

On the carrier, Luo stayed within 20 meters of the jets to closely observe the take-off and landing, despite the deafening roar from the engines, said Meng Jun, chairman of AVIC Shenyang Liming Aero-Engine (Group) Corp Ltd.

The Shenyang Aircraft Corp held a special ritual on Sunday night for Luo. His body was driven in a hearse around the research institutes, warehouses and factories where Luo had worked. Thousands of workers came from home to mourn their late boss, CCTV reported.

Luo graduated from the Beihang University in 1982, majoring in aircraft design.

He had been a designer with the Shenyang aircraft design and research institute since 1982 and became deputy director in 1997. He was appointed chairman and general manager of the SAC in 2007.

Thousands of Chinese netizens paid tribute in microblog entries.

"I just could not control such mixed feelings on a day when we should have had thousands of reasons for celebration," one wrote. "Under unimaginable pressure, Luo sacrificed himself to turn J-15 jets' take-off and landing into reality."