An Edwards airman became the first Air Force and government test pilot the fly
the f-35b Lightning to
during a test already January 30th at a Lockheed Martin facility
at naval air station Fort Worth Texas Lieutenant Colonel James Krumm bird
flew the aircraft during a flight the consistent at the takeoff
handling qualities maneuvers engine throttle transients
formation maneuvers and the landing oh the play went very well
the air aircraft built but very well too well
the engine response was
a well I'm smilin it was a lot of power which with grated
just seem to come right off the runway relies them my controls in the handling
was excellent behind
very enjoyable her first wife critic robert has been part of the f35 test
team since the fall of 2005
he is an experienced pilot with more than 30 to 100 hours
flying various Air Force aircraft as well as the marines ABAB
harrier jet 412 test wing commander Colonel honeybunch
says that as a former Marine pilot and graduated the Marines weapon school
and a graduate of the US Air Force test pilot school
colonel crime bird was uniquely qualified for this mission
he also has served as the integrated test force director of operations
over the last couple years and worked on JSF simulators worked on heard
looked at other %uh programs that were going on and he's the most
qualified military guy hatched apply to at this pace the program
Joint Strike Fighters and almost like this and the initial pilot
will all be graduate and a test pilot school I'll include a contractor animal
her power and they also will have extent 25 experience
extensive testing experience and a lot of experience within the Joint Strike
Fighter program
colonel bunch adds there are advantages of having both contractor and military
aviators on this program
contractors provide long-term continuity to the program because they don't have
cycles where they get PCS to move around the military operators and tester used
to bring in the warfighter perspective and more recent operational experience
left in the skill set the penalty reflecting on his first flight curl
convert said his expectations where more than met
I would exceed my expectations there was a
great match and not has meant a lot the Malaysia
luau very well than later although the f35 is scheduled to arrive at edwards
for further flight test in the spring
dawn Wildman Edwards Air Force Base Calif
a