The opera Dream High in Aerospace, staged by the performing-arts company of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, sheds new light on the lives of test pilots. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Along with the lead actors, Liu Hegang and Liu Yizhen, composer Zhang Wei and lyricist Che Xing, Wang visited China Flight Test Establishment, which is located in Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

They lived in the city for months with the pilots to know about their daily lives and hear their stories.

"For me, to start writing a script, I have to start with real stories," says Wang.

After living with them, the scriptwriter learned that the career of a test pilot is very different from other pilots.

It is a highly specialized area of aeronautics that requires them to fly, evaluate a new or modified aircraft for research and development, and determine if the aircraft has met prescribed standards.

"The process is very dangerous, even life-threatening," he says.