China’s first Tibetan woman pilot dreams of becoming ‘coolest captain’, excels at sport
Top gun fighter pilot from Tibetan plateau describes herself as a ‘warrior’ in the sky; says ultimate goal is to protect the country
China’s first woman pilot from Tibet who excels in basketball and skateboarding and dreams of becoming the “coolest captain” has captured attention at the Changchun Air Show.
On September 20, Gesang Baizhen, the 25-year-old fighter pilot with the Chinese Air Force, took the stage at the air show in northeastern China.
According to the mainland media outlet Jimu News, Gesang grew up in a Tibetan family. Her name was inspired by the “flower of the plateau” and “white pearl”.
In secondary school, inspired by Chinese women astronauts Liu Yang and Wang Yaping, Gesang developed a passion for aviation.
Soon, she was admitted to the Air Force Aviation University, where she gained a solid foundation in flying.
In October 2024, Gesang successfully completed all assessments to become a fighter pilot.
Mainland reports suggest she consistently ranked at the top in each evaluation, earning the respect of her instructors.
