Flight to You Episode 1 Recap
> Flight to You Recap
Cheng Xiao, a co-pilot for Luzhou Airlines' freight department, was on the return leg of a ten-day mission from Switzerland. Piloting the Owl flight to Luzhou Airport, she playfully broadcasted to the animals in the cargo hold that strong showers were expected. While her co-pilot Song Song was exhausted, Cheng Xiao remained enthusiastic, claiming she could fly for another ten days. After a challenging landing, Song Song expressed his admiration for her skill.
Her instructor, Cai, the Chief of the Freight Department, also praised her. When Cheng Xiao later expressed excitement about accumulating 2,700 flight hours, enough to qualify for captain, a burdened Cai postponed further discussion, suggesting they talk at a meeting the following day. He had been on the verge of sharing critical news but decided against it, not wanting to dampen her high spirits.
Meanwhile, Gu Nanting, the meticulous Deputy Director of Luzhou Airlines' Flight Department and a seasoned Boeing 787 captain, was also on a flight, assisted by co-pilot Lin Yicheng and Jiang Tao, the Chief of the Flight Department. Lin Yicheng reminded Jiang Tao that he and President Xu Ce would be attending the airline's award ceremony next week. Jiang Tao, in turn, commended Gu Nanting for his excellent leadership.
As their flight approached Luzhou, facing strong showers and a typhoon predicted to land in nearby Mingzhou, they were instructed to go around. Gu Nanting used this moment to impart a lesson to Lin Yicheng, stressing the extreme caution and responsibility required of a pilot. Luzhou Airport was experiencing heavy rainfall. Gu Nanting's flight, Luzhou 826, had to terminate its approach and perform a go-around, holding at an altitude of 900 meters.
Similarly, Cheng Xiao's flight, Luzhou 838, also faced the adverse conditions. However, after observing the cloud cluster begin to move, Cai gave the order to land. Despite the tower reporting that a preceding aircraft had gone around, Cheng Xiao’s crew confirmed their decision to continue the approach. Gu Nanting skillfully landed his aircraft safely.
Moments later, after the tower announced the airport’s impending closure in ten minutes, Gu Nanting's crew was surprised to see another plane daring to land so late. They realized it was their own airline's freight department flight, with Cheng Xiao bringing her plane down just in the nick of time. After landing, Cheng Xiao headed to the cargo hold to take photos with the animals before changing her clothes.
It was her birthday, and she received belated wishes from her friend Xia Zhi. Simultaneously, her mother pressed her to return home for a blind date that weekend. Cheng Xiao firmly refused, citing a scheduled flight. Her father then took the phone, reassuring her that he would handle her mother and telling Cheng Xiao not to worry about coming back.
Exiting the restroom, Cheng Xiao ran into Gu Nanting, to whom she enthusiastically recounted her landing as so stable it could be "recorded in her personal history." Gu Nanting immediately confronted her, asserting that her landing was ill-advised. He highlighted the 15-meter-per-second crosswind, which was at the company manual's limit, and the risk of hydroplaning. Cheng Xiao fiercely defended her professionalism, insisting she had expertly controlled the aircraft and not violated any regulations.
Gu Nanting cautioned her that while she was lucky this time, luck would not always protect her, emphasizing that pilots must adhere to the strictest standards. The typhoon's strong winds continued to batter the airport. Cheng Xiao, shivering from the cold, found herself waiting for a ride-share that was significantly delayed. Gu Nanting, noticing her predicament as he headed back to the office, offered her a ride, which she politely declined.
After a prolonged wait, she went to the underground parking garage to seek a ride. There, she encountered Ni Zhan from the Maintenance Department, who had just returned from a business trip in America. Recognizing her uniform, Ni Zhan readily agreed to give her a ride to the city, even helping with her luggage. En route, Cheng Xiao chatted with Ni Zhan, discovering they were colleagues.
Ni Zhan noted that she was on her way to becoming a captain and that Luzhou Airlines didn't yet have a female captain. She directed him to the Crow Bar, a frequent haunt for pilots. Inside, she ordered a non-alcoholic Cuba Libre and made a birthday wish to become a captain before 30, fly four million kilometers, visit sixty countries, and own her own home.
Recalling Gu Nanting's critique, she called Cai, who affirmed her judgment, praising her high-level landing skill and reassuring her that her operation was flawless. Content, Cheng Xiao returned home late to her pet parrots. Meanwhile, Gu Nanting also arrived home after working overtime, meticulously pruned his green plants, and set an alarm for 7:08 AM before bed.
The next morning, Gu Nanting encountered a pilot, Zhang Ming, whose hair he deemed "not in line with flight requirements," promptly grounding him for a week. Later, two flight attendants, including Qi Yu, discussed Gu Nanting's renowned strictness. Qi Yu openly expressed her admiration, wondering if he was married.
Meanwhile, Cheng Xiao received the keys to her newly purchased house and met with a designer, determined to create her dream home regardless of the budget, confident her imminent promotion to captain would bring a higher salary. At a strategic meeting, President Xu Ce announced to Jiang Tao and Cai that due to strategic adjustments, the Freight Department would be officially abolished.
He noted that the company had ceased taking new freight orders three months prior, a fact Cai confirmed, admitting he hadn't informed his pilots to avoid dampening their spirits. Xu Ce offered Cai the position of Deputy Director in the Passenger Transport Department, but Cai subtly referred to the retirement report he had already submitted. Unaware, Cheng Xiao excitedly brought her documents to Cai to apply for her captain assessment. It was then that Cai delivered the shocking news.
Cheng Xiao reacted with disbelief and anger, expressing her deep attachment to freight flying. Cai calmly persuaded her, highlighting the advantages of the Passenger Transport Department, playfully mentioning the abundance of single men, and revealing his own intention to retire. Saddened by his decision, Cheng Xiao praised him as her lifelong inspiration—a five-star captain with zero errors. In a tender moment, Cai acknowledged the hardships she had endured as a woman in freight aviation.
Cheng Xiao insisted she loved her work and felt no grievance. Finally, she accepted the change, promising Cai she would work diligently and not embarrass him, sealing the promise with a vow to treat him to dinner once she became a captain.
