A total of 22 Chinese female students are taking professional pilot training. The trainees will make up the first team of China's female pilots for fighter planes and they may possibly become the country's first group of female astronauts. 

This is the first time for these 22 female students to fly China's newly-designed training aircraft.

But their professional performance in flight-preparation and aircraft examination make it clear that these pilots are far from being classified as rookies. Since 2005, these women have been going through intensive pilot training.

Saturday's course aims at practicing the the pilot's taking-off and landing skills.

Their coach says the female pilots have been meeting the challenge of training.

Instructor Jiang Wenjie said, "Generally speaking, their performance today is good. Especially since they have demonstrated comprehensive preparations on the ground. And they are also relatively relaxed and retain a peaceful mood during flight. We are confident of teaching them."

One student Wang Xin said, "We've been waiting for this moment for a long time. My feeling is so complex now that I can't describe it in words. The training is making us more confident to fly well." 

A total of 35 students were recruited among 200-thousand senior high school graduates -- three years ago. 22 of them entered the PLA Air Force Aviation University in Harbin, the capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang province in 2007.

They have completed courses in basic aviation theories. And they've also mastered elementary flying techniques at different training facilities.

China's first female fighter pilots and first female astronauts are to be chosen from this group in 2009.