64-year-old Dong Yixin, a senior researcher of a design institute of the General Armaments Department of the PLA, has spent forty years in technological research and either led or participated in designing 11 wind tunnels and carrying out technological reform of 5 others. Because of his outstanding work, he has been awarded a first-class citation of merit. Though he is no longer young, he still works more than 10 hours a day in the testing ground of a key state laboratory.

　　In early March this year, one of his projects was given a first-class award of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award. It is an ultrasonic wind tunnel, the largest one of his kind in Asia. As the chief designer of the pneumatic section of the project, his creative ideas has made a huge contribution to the project.

　　In as early as 1998, when the project was approved, he, as one of the designers, was far from feeling excited because the constraints of technology, funds and others would make the project very difficult to implement and require more time than expected to finish it. How could he do it? He replied: "Scientific research is after all about new ideas. "

　　He volunteered to lead the entire project team to start a new round of design and test. Later, the team worked out a creative plan to replace the foreign "High Pressure Pneumatic Source" with a new technological scenario for improving the testing performance and precision of the wind tunnels.

　　Five months later, the new scenario was successfully carried out. In the end of 1997, a new wind tunnel was built and put into operation. The project made the dream of pneumatic specialists of many generations come true. Zhuang Fenggan, a well-known aerodynamics expert, commented on the project: "The new plan has set a new record in history and achieved the same result as the 'High Pressure Pneumatic Source'. "

　　However, when it came to awards, he left all the honor to younger researchers.

　　By Li Yue, Li Guojin and Fan Juwei

　　(September 30, PLA Daily)