Teen students become China's youngest pilots

Fifteen male students from Beijing No.57 High School received civil aircraft pilot licenses on March 21, becoming the youngest certified pilots in China. The students received strict training and testing, including two years of comprehensive theoretical basis studies and 41 hours of flying practice, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

Beijing No.57 High School cooperated with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of China in 2012 to start China's first experimental class for the early training of pilots, where students finish both high school courses and pilot training and then go off to colleges like Civil Aviation Flight University of China.

Astronaut Jing Haipeng attended the ceremony to congratulate the students and share his personal stories about being a pilot.