Dai Mingmeng

Dai Mingmeng

Dai Mingmeng (戴明盟) is the Chinese pilot who landed the first fighter jet J-15 on the Liaoning, China’s first aircraft carrier, on Nov. 23, 2012.

Born in the early 1970s in Chongqing Municipality, Dai’s exact personal information is confidential due to his professional career - that of a highly promising pilot in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

He became known for his ability to keep a cool head in 1996 when he was accompanied by a deputy chief of staff during the completions of his Fighter J-6 training. The plane caught fire, yet both pilots did not abandon their aircraft until it had descended down to 500 meters. In doing so, albeit by putting their own lives at stake, they ensured the safety of the surroundings.

He was among those who were chosen to learn the landing skills and technologies on aircraft carriers in Russia in 2003.

In Oct. 2004, he and his partner Zhang Shaobin completed a safe night flight with a fighter suffering from an unstable engine.

According to the Ningbo Daily, Dai was the leader of the No.1 military team in the Marine and Aviation Eagle Legion.

Before his carrier-landing debut in 2012, he received intensive training, which included four-fighter nighttime combat and intercepted confrontation.

Described by his wife as being rather introverted, Dai will often blow off steam at home in the company of his daughter and spouse - who apparently has a penchant for creating a luscious dining experience consisting of sliced Sichuan-style poached fish in chili oil.