By Su Hang
Jiang Peng, a peacekeeper assigned to the Chinese peacekeeping helicopter unit to Abyei, has a group photo with officials of the UNISFA.
KHARTOUM, March 26 -- China's second batch of peacekeeping helicopter unit to Abyei, Sudan, completed a night flight task recently, the first time for the forces of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) since its establishment in 2011.
In response to the bad security situation, and to strengthen the all-weather deterrent to illegal armed forces in the region, the helicopter unit organized the first night flight training exercise at the request of UNISFA. It involved a total of five sorties and one hour and forty minutes' flight time, receiving high praise from the UNISFA.
"Today marks the first night flight in the history of UNISFA, and now that we have the capability to fly at night. It means we can save more lives and perform more military missions," said the head of the UNISFA Aviation Department.
Before the mission, the crew formulated flight plans and emergency plans in response to the poor night flight lights, adverse meteorological conditions and no instrument approach system. They also carried out cockpit practice many times, and finally completed the task with superb flight skills.
