Chapter 0193
Before posting, Leck made sure he had Madison’s consent.
Madison was indifferent to the publicity; after all, it was no false
claim.
She gazed at the booklet in her hand, about the size of a pilot’s license. It was light yet seemed to carry the weight of life and boundless responsibility.
Leck pocketed his phone, his tone suddenly serious, “Madison, I hope you’ll always remember that you’re a pilot. As captains, we may compete, we may vie to be the best. But when we’re in command of a flight, our responsibility must always, always come first. The passengers’ lives mean more than our own, regardless of nationality.”
These were the words of a great pilot.
Madison stood, bowing formally to Leck, “Thank you.”
Thank you for your teachings and for your help, despite the
consequences.
Before leaving, Leck patted her shoulder, “I do hope one day we can work together. I’ll find a way to beat you then.”
Twice they had met, and twice Leck had been bested by Madison.
Yet, deep down, he felt admiration. His competitive spirit wasn’t dampened, but he couldn’t deny the excellence of this young woman, barely twenty-five.
Two shining stars walked the corridor, one to the left, the other to the right, each taking their brilliance to the skies, devoting their lives to the craft of flying.
1/5
At half-past eight in the evening.
The assessment site finally cleared out.
Madison and Leck had been engrossed in flight-related discussions, too excited to pay attention to their colleagues’ assessment progress.
Old Gao approached Madison, “Charlie and Old Song both applied for the storm challenge. They took off at four o’clock, along with pilots from other airlines. Eighteen planes in total, split between two routes.”
Madison’s gaze drifted towards the distant line of ambulances, her heart tightening.
Without seeing Charlie or Brian around, she asked, “Where are they?”
Old Gao fell silent for a while before pointing, “Look over there.”
Madison followed his gesture and saw plumes of black smoke rising in the distance, darkening half the sky.
Just when she feared the worst for the two, Old Gao finally said, gasping for breath, “Charlie and Brian are safe.”
Madison nearly choked on relief, slightly irritated at Old Gao’s
dramatics.
“The two planes, having sped up after the storm, collided due to thick clouds and strong airflow.”
Such tests were not for everyone.
Madison and Leck succeeded because of her quick reactions, stable
piloting, and Leck’s technical proficiency, which allowed them to
avoid a mid-air collision.
Having a good partner could indeed lift one to greater heights.
Leck, in the distance, glanced back at her.
3/5
In their eyes was not only sadness for the fallen pilots but a mutual recognition.
Although Leck had assisted Madison throughout the assessment, he felt it was Madison who had made him a better pilot.
Had Madison shifted her course even slightly during the lightning strike on Leck’s tailfin, the surrounding airflow might have spun him out and caused a fatal crash.
Only Leck knew how Madison had fought against the ground currents, shouldering the landing resistance for him.
Another pilot, concerned only with their own safe landing, might have put Leck’s name among the casualties.
From afar, Leck gave her a thumbs up, a sign of affirmation between
partners.
Madison responded with her own thumbs up.
Old Gao added, “However, Charlie didn’t land within the allotted time, so he got an A-Class.”
“What about Brian?”
Madison had assumed that Brian, with his years, wouldn’t be eager to push further.
Old Gao revealed, “Brian’s a pro, a former military pilot. Could he be bad?”
Madison was elated, “S-Class?”
“Yes.”
Old Gao patted her shoulder, “Congratulations, Captain Meng. In this batch of pilots, there are three S-Class pilots, and you’re one of them.”
Excluding her and Brian, only Leck remained.
“It’s unlikely that any S-Class pilots will emerge in the next batch. It’s too difficult; almost like trading life for it,” Old Gao mused, somewhat dazed.
Including Madison, they all pondered the meaning of flight as the ambulance sirens wailed in the distance.
Was there any sense in a sacrifice made for an assessment?
What, then, was the ultimate meaning of flight?
Madison’s eyes lifted to the clearing sky.
The clouds dissipated slowly, revealing the blue expanse as a plane glided through.
She was reminded of the oath they all took at graduation-
“We shall devote our lives to the advancement of aerospace, take responsibility for the safety of the people, and ensure passengers of all races reach their homeland airports.”
This was the pledge of the First Aviation Academy’s graduates.
Madison remembered it well.
Though not soldiers, they had a mission tied to their profession, unshakeable and profound.
At the same time, the official list of the top three S-Class pilots was released by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Ranked first was-
A 25-year-old female pilot from China, named Madison.
Second was the well-known Captain Leck from the M Country.
And third was Brian, the retired military pilot turned civilian aviator.
Only three S-Class pilots in the first batch, and two were from the same country.
This news silenced the world.
The ICAO wouldn’t falsify records, so the results stood true.
Chinese pilots had dominated this rating assessment with overwhelming superiority.
And the Mukino Airline pilots preparing for the next batch, once anxious about bringing shame to their company, were now invigorated by the news, eager and spirited.
They figured, with two of the top three being from their company, they just had to do their best.
A Madison craze swept the homeland, which also stirred up a storm overseas, growing more intense with each passing moment.
In just one day’s time, the name Madison caught the attention of the largest international airlines.
