Hongdu L-15 Lieying
The Hongdu L-15 is a Chinese advanced jet trainer designed to prepare pilots for modern fighters with a glass cockpit and fly-by-wire controls. Its two engines, swept wing, and tandem cockpit give it proportions closer to a lightweight fighter than a basic trainer. Export versions have been delivered to several African air forces, while China uses it to bridge the gap between elementary training and frontline combat aircraft. It demonstrates China’s growing presence in the modern trainer-export market.
Did you know?
The Hongdu L-15 is a Chinese twin-engine jet trainer with fighter-like proportions, exported to several African air forces.
Specifications
| Length | 12.3 m (40 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 9.5 m (31 ft) |
| Height | 4.8 m (16 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 9.5 t |
| Range | 1,400 NM (2,593 km) |
| Maximum speed | 920 kt (1,704 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 52,000 ft (15,850 m) |
| Rate of climb | 30,000 ft/min (152.4 m/s) |
| Engines | 2x Ivchenko-Progress AI-222K-25 |
| Units built | 24 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Hongdu L-15 Lieying starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Hongdu, the L-15 Lieying family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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