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