Forum: F-35 Units

I was at March ARB today.

Besides the Thunderbirds, there was a demo from VMF-214, the Blacksheep, with their AV-8Bs. Unfortunately, I was taking my daughter through the C-5 when they were doing their hover demo (for what seemed like 2 minutes) and my cellphone pics from the other end of the field did not turn out.

Damn I need a good SLR Sad

Anyhow, I got to talk with a Captain from VMF-214 (based in Yuma, AZ) and he was VERY exited about the F-35B coming to Yuma. They are due to get their first one in Nov of this year. He told me that initially they will transition 4 pilots to the F-35B (from active AV-8B and F-18C pilots). He did not know what his chances were personally of being one of the 4.

I was listening to his talk to people about the AV-8B and the F-35B. He really like the auto land (at the push of a button) and its range & payload. There was one guy who came up that seemed to spend too much time reading ARES or the APA. In his opinion, he would have rather seen "supersonic" upgrades to the AV-8B and thought the F-35B program was "falling apart". I held my tongue and decided the better part of valor was to let him live with his ignorance.

As a parting gift, here are a couple of closeups of one of Jack Northrup's first (still operational) flying wings. No it did not fly today.

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SpudmanWP wrote:

There was one guy who came up that seemed to spend too much time reading ARES or the APA. In his opinion, he would have rather seen "supersonic" upgrades to the AV-8B and thought the F-35B program was "falling apart". I held my tongue and decided the better part of valor was to let him live with his ignorance.

That must have taken supreme restraint. I think I would have burst out laughing.

Forum: F-35 Units

F-35B coming to the Blacksheep