Chapter 158: This Risk Is Worth Taking

Since damage tolerance design can be introduced early, things become much easier. Integrating damage tolerance into the design of a new engine inevitably requires revisions to engine design specifications. Since such revisions are necessary, we can now proceed with both reforms simultaneously.

It is impossible to adopt British specifications entirely for the new engine design; the conversion between imperial units and the metric units used by the Republic alone is a major hurdle. Introducing British specifications into our new engine development is merely about adopting a mindset and a methodology.

Reflecting on this, Yang Hui felt that this revision of the specifications could not be a half-hearted effort. Mere patching and mending would not achieve the desired results; a complete, radical transformation was required to breathe new life into the old framework.

"Director, I understand what Old Wu means. He is telling us to carry out this work privately, without the Ministry of Aviation knowing about it, right?"

It was no wonder Yang Hui was held in such high regard; he was quick-witted and sharp in his dealings. Director Bai deeply appreciated Yang Hui’s cleverness.

"That's right. We rushed back immediately after securing the engine project, but we weren't as fast as Chief Designer Wu. We had barely bought our train tickets when he found me. He introduced the Hongqi Factory to us, and with it came this hot potato. It is very difficult for us to reform the design specifications now."

"Difficult" was an understatement—it was extremely difficult. To change design specifications is to challenge the status quo; what would Base 0011 not dare to do? It was truly audacious, and it would be a miracle if they didn't face backlash. Since ancient times, the path of reform has always been fraught with obstacles, so Director Bai’s apprehension was only natural.

Revising design specifications is hard, but now is the moment when the base faces the least resistance. For one, the engine development funds are provided by foreign sources, stripping the Ministry of Aviation of its most powerful weapon for stalling design institutes. Furthermore, the reform has the support of Old Wu, who, as the father of the Republic’s aviation engines, still wields significant influence.

Yang Hui analyzed these factors for Director Bai, urging him to pursue the reforms in secret. Only by committing to reform could Yang Hui continue to integrate damage tolerance design principles into the process.

"Director, I believe reform is essential. The price we pay for it now will be at its lowest. Since reform is inevitable, we must dare to be the first. We are tucked away in a remote mountain corner; we need to make our voices heard appropriately, as reputation is vital."

Director Bai was less of a technical expert and more of an administrator, but he understood what Yang Hui meant. Without reputation, they would be at a disadvantage in future competitions for domestic talent and projects.

Director Bai had long since made up his mind to reform; he was simply contemplating how to proceed.

"Reform is definitely happening, but the approach is crucial. Using the right tactics can avoid many risks and objections."

Since the director was willing to reform, it was the best outcome. Yang Hui seized the opportunity to offer a suggestion: "Director, risks must be taken, but the tactics depend on you. I have a suggestion. I don't know how much you know about damage tolerance design, but what I’m about to say relates to it."

If you asked Director Bai about advanced technical problems, he wouldn't be able to answer. However, when it came to design philosophy, he had studied it carefully. He had looked closely into damage tolerance design, a topic that had been quite hot internationally in recent years.

"I know something about it. It involves introducing the concept of economic life into new machine design to extend engine longevity, reaching an optimal state throughout the engine's entire service life. If successful, this would be another great revolution, especially for countries with insufficient funds."

"Exactly. What I want to suggest is to introduce damage tolerance design into the new engine. Since we are reforming anyway, we might as well do it thoroughly. On the surface, we can claim we are absorbing the strengths of British design specifications, while in secret, we can weave damage tolerance principles into our new engine design."

Yang Hui’s proposal was undeniably bold. He intended to reform design specifications to gain prestige while simultaneously smuggling in damage tolerance design—it was a true tightrope walk.

Yet, to Director Bai, Yang Hui’s daring move seemed feasible. If damage tolerance design yielded good results, it would be a massive shot in the arm for the new engine.

Not only could the engine see significant improvements in economic efficiency, but its service life would also be greatly extended. Currently, Western engines surpass those of the Republic in hard technology; engines designed with the same philosophies naturally outclass domestic ones by a wide margin.

However, if they introduced damage tolerance, the new engine’s lifespan would likely exceed standard domestic data and even rival Western engines—at least compared to those Western engines that did not use damage tolerance. This would be a victory in soft power, a distinct strategic advantage.

Director Bai pondered for a long time before asking Yang Hui about his concerns: "Yang Hui, what you suggest is not impossible. I’ve thought about it, and while the various aspects seem fine, our time is tight. If we introduce damage tolerance design, we will have to add many test items, and we might run out of time."

Damage tolerance design requires testing for fatigue fracture data on various components; these are all additional test items. Damage tolerance is built upon vast amounts of test data; without enough of it, who knows when a component might fail?

Obtaining sufficient design data requires time and money. While funding wasn't a concern, time was indeed tight, but it wasn't an unsolvable problem.

"That is not too difficult a problem. In the early stages, we can still follow the fatigue safety life design. Damage tolerance design is essentially a controlled risk based on fatigue safety design, so we can manage the timeline. As long as we continue testing throughout the later stages, we can obtain enough data to carry out the damage tolerance research for the new engine."

Nodding, Director Bai agreed with Yang Hui’s suggestion. Having made his decision, he set aside the original English design specifications and pulled a stack of documents from a nearby box, explaining their origin.

"These are the British design specifications translated by the Hongqi Factory. After the WS-9 project was canceled, they continued their localization work. Without funds for hardware, they chose to focus on the soft power of design specifications. These are the fruits of Hongqi Factory’s labor."

Yang Hui walked over to the wooden box. It was a sturdy crate, with layers of oil paper and kraft paper protecting the documents inside.

Yang Hui picked up a document. It was filled with work notes; the handwriting wasn't particularly beautiful, but it was clear and the translation was precise—it was evident that it had been translated with absolute dedication.

Translating design specifications is a massive undertaking. This box of materials was invaluable—a testament to the unyielding spirit of the Hongqi Factory.

He solemnly placed the documents back into the box, fearing that a single careless move might ruin the hard-earned efforts of the Hongqi Factory. "Director, the Hongqi Factory will not be brought down by the cancellation of the WS-9. These documents are their proof. Once we are done, we must return these materials to them intact."

He sealed the box again, ready to move it out. The fruits of the Hongqi Factory’s labor would find a new form of continuation in the hands of the base.

"Indeed, the Hongqi Factory will not be defeated. I believe that after this, they will be reborn from the ashes. That is why we will entrust the production of the first-stage fan to them; they need help at this critical moment."