CHAPTER 434: CHAPTER 432: BOARDING THE PLANE

The stratosphere is one layer of the atmosphere, located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. Because it absorbs a large amount of ultraviolet radiation, the temperature in this layer is cooler at the bottom and warmer at the top.

This is exactly the opposite of the troposphere, which is warmer at the bottom and cooler at the top. It is precisely because of this that the stratosphere is more stable and lacks conventional convection activities and related airflow.

Due to this characteristic of the stratosphere, it is also known as the isothermal layer, where temperature and airflow are relatively stable, making it an ideal place for aircraft flight.

Most of the world’s commercial airliners cruise in the stratosphere to avoid the variable weather and airflow within the troposphere, thereby maintaining flight stability.

In the past, because the airflow in the stratosphere was stable, it lacked water vapor and there was no alternating of hot and cold temperatures, this layer was known for being cloudless. Once a plane reached this altitude, all it could see was the sea of clouds below, and above, only the endless blue sky and the intense sunlight strong enough to cause sunburn.

However, when Chen Xin and the Yun-9 reached this altitude, all he saw was a dimness like that of a severe sandstorm.

Chen Xin once worked in the Imperial Capital of Flame Country, and at that time, the Imperial Capital was experiencing the worst of its smog problems. There was one occasion when Chen Xin went to work in extreme weather conditions, standing at the roadside unable to see the other side nearby.

If it weren’t for a large outdoor electronic screen flickering on the opposite side at a shopping mall, Chen Xin would have really thought there was nothing on the other side.

At this moment, the stratosphere rivaled the extreme adverse weather that Chen Xin remembered from the Imperial Capital.

Moreover, the dust and particles in the sky blocked the sunlight that was supposed to shine down, and when you looked up, it seemed as if the whole world was a shade of sepia, like the last moment of day when the earth is about to enter darkness, but the sun struggles at the horizon burning its last rays.

Even though it’s sunlight long overdue, it feels as if the world has reached its end, and even the sun is burnt out, turning the world into a barren wasteland.

Yet this is no wasteland, but at an altitude of twelve thousand meters.

The visibility within Chen Xin’s line of sight was no more than two hundred meters. If it weren’t for maintaining a distance of about one hundred meters between him and the Yun-9, he would have lost track of the aircraft.

Even so, in this dusty sepia world, the one hundred meter distance still made the silhouette of the Yun-9 turn blurry.

Due to the airflow disturbances, a yellow envelope gradually formed around the aircraft, which was the sight of dust flowing over the aircraft’s surface along with the airflow.

Such a situation would evidently have a major impact and cause damage to the aircraft. Even if Chen Xin had installed air filters in the aircraft engine, it couldn’t last long in this kind of environment.

Sure enough, the aircraft had only been flying a short distance into the stratosphere when the data on Chen Xin’s vision began to turn red, particularly the engine part. You could clearly see that both the engine’s intake and power were affected, and even the propeller blades were starting to vibrate.

Seeing such a condition, Chen Xin decisively connected to the aircraft’s communication channel and shouted at the pilot: "The aircraft’s condition is affected by the dust, it won’t hold out for long, descend immediately!"

"Academician Chen? How do you know...?" The pilot was startled hearing Chen Xin’s voice, somewhat puzzled as to how Chen Xin knew the aircraft’s condition.

However, at this moment, all the instruments on the aircraft also displayed the issues it was encountering, with many instruments beginning to issue alerts. Previously, the pilot wanted to test the limits of the aircraft in such a state under pressure.

But now that Chen Xin had ordered him to descend, the pilot did not go against his order, pushed the control stick, and began to descend the whole aircraft.

Chen Xin followed behind the plane, watching it re-enter the troposphere, shedding the yellow "ribbons" that had enveloped it, and once again being shrouded in darkness. Only then did he shout through the communication channel to the pilot: "Open the rear cargo door, I want to come in."

"Rear cargo door? Academician Chen, you’re outside? How did you get up here?" The pilot was utterly shocked. It was the first time he had flown a plane and heard someone asking him to open the door to let someone outside come in.

This is an aircraft, not a car! No one ever said to open a door while the plane is in the sky to let someone in.

But after repeated confirmation, Chen Xin still insisted on him opening the door, so the pilot could only follow Chen Xin’s instruction and opened the Yun-9’s rear cargo door.

As a transport aircraft, the Yun-9’s rear cargo door could, of course, be opened, and it was designed to be opened during flight for airdrops or parachuting.

Yet, even the original aircraft designers, no matter how imaginative, probably never thought that someone could enter an aircraft in flight through an opened rear cargo door.

However, with the ability of nanotechnology armor that could fly, Chen Xin could indeed enter the aircraft during its flight through the opened rear cargo door.

Although this looked much like a scene from a movie, when the Yun-9’s rear cargo door opened, Chen Xin indeed flew in and landed steadily inside the Yun-9’s cabin.

The group of crew members inside the cabin saw Chen Xin clad in nanotechnology armor and showed expressions of surprise. No one expected someone could enter the aircraft in such circumstances.

Seeing Chen Xin enter the aircraft, the crew hurriedly closed the rear cargo door.

At high altitude, opening a cargo door is no simple matter, as the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cabin could lead to cabin decompression.

"How many test items are left untested in this trial flight?" Chen Xin opened the visor of his helmet, letting the nano-molecular stream that made up the helmet flow downward, revealing his face as he asked the crew.

This trial flight had many test items, and these crew members were responsible for conducting these tests.

"There are quite a few high-altitude flight tests that have not been done. The aircraft had only been at the stratosphere for a short time, not enough." A crew member flipped through his record board, reporting to Chen Xin.

As crew members for this trial flight, they had all met Chen Xin before takeoff and naturally recognized this absurdly young academician.

Chen Xin nodded and said to them: "Apart from the necessary stratosphere flight tests, do the rest here. Tell the pilot to maintain flight at the troposphere altitude, no need to climb to the stratosphere."

"Yes, Academician." The crew responded but then asked Chen Xin, "Do you need us to report to the ground that you have come up?"

"Report it, it’s better to let them know." Chen Xin nodded and then walked through the cabin doors, heading towards the cockpit.