Chinese Trainer Aircraft (JL-8, JL-9, JL-10 (L-15), etc.)

by78 said:

Absolutely the dumbest, the most thoughtless rumor I have heard in a very, very, very long time. Who came up with this nonsense?

That pilot doesn't look like

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at all. Not even close. More importantly,

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. It's kind of tough to get away for a little joyride in China when you are 254 miles above earth in a metal tube with no easy way of getting off.

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I also doubt the rumor as you do, I can't think of a reason for an ESA astronaut on a Chinese trainer.
But I have to correct you that he is currently in Cologne, Germany, not in the space.

Kalec said:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1517933719746711557

I also doubt the rumor as you do, I can't think of a reason for an ESA astronaut on a Chinese trainer.
But I have to correct you that he is currently in Cologne, Germany, not in the space.

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My apologies. Extremely bad reading skills on my part. Pesquet is indeed back on earth. Thank you for the correction.

That said, I do wonder... If Shilao is correct, then it's not entirely impossible for ESA astronauts to be taken on friendly joyrides on Chinese jet trainers, since the ESA and CNSA have been cooperating for years now for future manned missions such as stays on the Chinese space station.

Edit: an extremely badly written misled me into believing that Pesquet is still aboard the ISS. The is much clearer on his current status.

by78 said:

Or he could be from South America. Plenty of people there are of European descent. Is that a flight suit he's wearing? If it is, it's a somewhat unusual color. Does anyone recognize his shoulder patch?

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Looks like this one. The color, the collar, the pocket on the left arm, the chest patch. I think the color is not very common, but it is used by military.

I am now almost certain that the foreign pilot involved in the crash is from UAE after googling "UAE air force pilot". Here is one of the findings.

Apparently the color of UAE air force pilot uniform is Khaki. The patch on left chest matches too.

It is quite common among gulf countries to employ foreign nationals to serve in their military. Pakistan probably provides most of them. Having some Caucasian isn't any different. Similarly if one flys with Emirates (air line), one can find crews from all over the world.

UAE air force commander during visit to Israel.

Two pilots.

taxiya said:

I am now almost certain that the foreign pilot involved in the crash is from UAE after googling "UAE air force pilot". Here is one of the findings.

Apparently the color of UAE air force pilot uniform is Khaki. The patch on left chest matches too.

It is quite common among gulf countries to employ foreign nationals to serve in their military. Pakistan probably provides most of them. Having some Caucasian isn't any different. Similarly if one flys with Emirates (air line), one can find crews from all over the world.

UAE air force commander during visit to Israel.
View attachment 87926
Two pilots.

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Yikes. I hope this doesn’t kill the deal.

taxiya said:

I am now almost certain that the foreign pilot involved in the crash is from UAE after googling "UAE air force pilot". Here is one of the findings.

Apparently the color of UAE air force pilot uniform is Khaki. The patch on left chest matches too.

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The patches don't match. Its not even close. Both for the one on the chest and the one on the arm.

para80 said:

The patches don't match. Its not even close. Both for the one on the chest and the one on the arm.

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This is the chest patch looking from the front taken from the Air force commander . It has a light coloured round thing in the middle with two wings. It looks match or at least very close IMO if you look it from the top.

The one on the arms are different from different units. You can't say matching or not. If you read my post 1724 again, you can see that all three people from UAE air force have different arm patches. Here is another different patch.


I can not be 100% certain, but if you try to find air force in the world using khaki coloured overall uniform today and chest patch in similar shape, there are not many.

A recent article about the ongoing search for a replacement for the A-37 in Uruguay but this article does not mention the L-15. Is Hongdu out of the running in Montevideo now?

Semi-Lobster said:

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A recent article about the ongoing search for a replacement for the A-37 in Uruguay but this article does not mention the L-15. Is Hongdu out of the running in Montevideo now?

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I foresee FAU will finally go for Super Tucano instead of a trainer/light strike jet. I don't think they have budget for modern advance jet trainers.

A Super Tucano can't police civilian jet aircraft. Sounds like a mistake to me if true.