Forum: F-35 Lightning II

yes we have had wiring ISSUES from the very beginning on these jets, it's been very frustrating but as stated easily fixed !

But I'm really talking about BF-04.

F-16.net Sponsor

Last edited by VarkVet on Jun 07, 2010 - 04:08 AM; edited 1 time in total

Interesting, JSF has herpes? Shrug

Source: jsf.mil

I think that's where the drag chute braces tie into the substructure. I think this picture is AA-1, and for some reason it always had protruding head fasteners where the drag chute fitting would tie in. The drag chute fitting is only used during high AOA testing (which was never done on AA-1 which makes it even stranger). Hopefully someone else can back me up on this.

BTW, a strange new airplane flew today from NAS JRB. Wink

LMAggie wrote:

BTW, a strange new airplane flew today from NAS JRB. Wink

Sweet

I hope live feeds are available when she does her first carrier landing and launch Thumb

WOOT!

Congrats!

LMAggie wrote:

I think that's where the drag chute braces tie into the substructure

Makes sense!

Pretty important test to find departure/recovery limits!

LMAggie wrote:

BTW, a strange new airplane flew today from NAS JRB. Wink

Wow F-35C make it first fly !

This is very good news for the program. Congrats to all involved, and kudos for working on a Sunday. Here are a couple of links with pics:

http://www.fencecheck.com/forums/index. ... icseen#new

http://www.bensware.com/photos/events/F35CCF1First/

BTW, the F-35 will never be a good-looking aircraft, but the C model is definitely the least bad-looking of the three. The larger wings and tails certainly make it look much better.

..deleted

VarkVet wrote:

LMAggie wrote:

BTW, a strange new airplane flew today from NAS JRB. Wink

Sweet

I hope live feeds are available when she does her first carrier landing and launch Thumb

Congrats!

Same for EMALS and JPALS

I'm hoping that while at PAX they will also test at Lakehurst on EMALS.

With EMALS, JPALS and F-35C the US Navy is moving an order of magnitude to a new generation for aviation. Cool

JSF Carrier Variant Meets First Flight Goals By Graham Warwick graham_warwick@aviationweek.com
-Handling qualities of the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter “exceeded expectations” on the June 6 first flight, says Lockheed Martin test pilot Jeff Knowles. Knowles says the aircraft approached at 135 kt., compared with 155 kt. for the smaller-winged F-35A and B variants at the same 40,000-lb. gross weight. Takeoff rotation speed was 15-20 kt. slower, he says. The 57-min. first flight focused on gear-down handling and formation flying with the F/A-18 chase aircraft in “an early look at handling around the carrier”, says Knowles, adding “The approach was very stable, with good roll response.” The landing gear and arrestor hook were cycled and throttle slams conducted to check engine operation. This was the first flight of a production-configuration Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, says Tom Burbage, executive vice president and general manager, F-35 program integration. The aircraft is expected to complete up to 15 flights from Lockheed’s Fort Worth, Texas, plant then undergo structural-coupling and ground-vibration testing before ferrying to the U.S. Navy’s Patuxent River, Md., test center in October. Two more F-35Cs are on the flight line and expected to ferry to Pax by year-end. Burbage says drop testing of an F-35C ground-test article at Vought Aircraft Industries is about 80% complete, including high sink rates with external stores, with no loading or structural issues.
- The first JSF mission-system test aircraft, BF-4, is planned to ferry to Pax River today to join the first three F-35B short-take-off-and-landing test aircraft.
- The first conventional-takeoff-and-landing F-35A mission-system test aircraft, AF-3, is expected to fly this week and ferry to Edwards AFB, Calif., next month to join AF-1 and 2.
- In its mark-up of Fiscal 2011 defense authorization legislation, the House Armed Services Committee has tied F-35 funding to key test milestones, including flying the first F-35C and delivering 12 development aircraft to service test centers by the end of 2010. The final two of those 12 aircraft, AF-4 and BF-5, have been completed, says Burbage, acknowledging test aircraft have been up to six months late. AF-4 is planned to ferry to Edwards in the third quarter, while BF-5 is to be delivered to Pax by year-end.

Congrats to program personnel for success from the hardwork. Looks like that janitor at NAS/ JRB FW may need help emptying ashtrays, real soon. Best Wishes. Very Happy

So they 'll take F-35A AF-3 fly this week .

Smile

Pardon my ignorance but will A, B and C variants have to through all the identical test points in addition to the unique testing requirements specific to each model (eg. vertical landing for B, catapult takeoff/arrested landing for C)? What areas of the test program would benefit from commonality?

Forum: F-35 Lightning II

Overview of F-35 test flights