F-35 and Airshows

[wrightwing]

You may well know the F-35A is rated to 9G with full internal fuel and weapons and Mach 1.6 top speed - any questions?

Now that would be an excellent airshow selling point. Load up with full fuel, and 5,000lbs of inert ordnance, and perform a dazzling display of power loops, pedal turns, minimum radius, vertical climbs, etc.... and then open the weapon bay doors, for a slow speed fly by.

[quicksilver]

It appeared more like a practice of certain elements rather than a rehearsal. There was some extended repositioning that took the jet away from the crowd line/show center for more time than usual. Sometimes that’s necessary for the pilot lest he or she has to fly around mostly under some kind of G for nearly 10 or 15 minutes.

Hmmm...one wonders what Pierre Sprey has been doing lately.

[mixelflick]

Here's an even closer video, from rehearsals.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 7895604049

That.... was incredible.

Especially what it did AFTER the power loop. And the big one... it didn't appear to lose much altitude, while reversing direction. Thrust vector maneuvers, without the thrust vectoring.

I'm sure Sprey wants to crawl under a rock right now..

[gta4]

There are already videos that quote Pierre Sprey's "cant climb can't turn can't run" and show something otherwise:

https://youtu.be/6Kg-ztkPDok

[lbk000]

For me, the most impressive maneuver was actually the full flat circle into the vertical at around 5:30 or so. This is a transition that really showcases the aircraft's superb energy characteristics, it's like watching a guy go from holding his breath under water to immediately playing a ditty on the trumpet all in the same breath.
The F-35 does it very comfortably and it is fantastic to see.

[charlielima223]

Old video but relevant to the topic...
Pay attention to what he says at the very end of this video



That was before all the actual flight testing. From my understanding that was made by computer modeling and simulations to predict the F-35's flight characteristics. I would like to see if the B and C can do something very close but within their own flight envelope.

[element1loop]

That low speed pass though!

I just had a close look at that pass and came to the conclusion the pilot was not using afterburner on the climb out @ ~45 degrees nose-up, accelerating. In the other parts of the video the afterburner makes copious and plainly visible photons in the dim light conditions when it is being used, but none seen in that part of the video. I looked up some of my graphs and the jet should not have been able to do that on the standard figures. Apparently the installed dynamic thrust is quite a lot higher (yeah, duh).

For example, at ~25% fuel load remaining, the dry dynamic thrust would have to be at least 35,000 lb to get anything like that sort of acceleration in the climb out.

See at 13:00 min mark (lands it at ~17:00 mins)
https://youtu.be/RRW0sLsB0KY

[mixelflick]

Pretty amazing. Can't wait to see the final routine. Hoping for lots of power loops, pedal turns and those awesome instantaneous turns, which look just gut wrenching on the pilot.

It's really coming into its own now. First combat use (USMC and Israel), operational with the Royal Navy, Paris display, first dedicated air demo team, price dropping. And you know it's only going to get better. Soon, LM will have more countries beating down its door.

They have built a better mouse trap, there is no question..

[jetblast16]

From do ge!

[spazsinbad]

Thought it could be zoomed so here 'tis - tah to de dOGe….

F-35A Slow High Alpha to Burner Climb DOGE ZOOMed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCEfMRiXSJM

[steve2267]

I kept replaying the ZOOMd video, courtesy of Spaz, @ t=16sec.

Just could not get enough of all that control surface goodness. Loved how the right roll was started by differential stabs, and helped along by some elevons + ruddervators. The resulting turn rate seemed quite nice too.

[spazsinbad]

F-35 Demo Team pilot practices new maneuvers
24 Jan 2019 Staff Sgt. Jensen Stidham, F-35A Demo Team Public Affairs

"Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. -- Capt. Andrew “Dojo” Olson, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team commander and pilot has spent the last three months, designing, developing, and practicing the maneuvers of the all new demo profile. A total of 14 maneuvers make up the aerobatic performance, many which have never been seen by public audiences.

“The manuevers showcase the full envelope of the F-35,” said Olson. “On the slow end, we’ll get down to less than 100 miles per hour of air speed, just barely hanging there but in complete control. Then on the high end, we’re going to take it up to just below the sound barrier for the high speed pass. We’re also going to be pulling up to 9Gs, nine times the force of gravity, and carving the jet into the air at huge angles of attack of more than 50 degrees.”

Some maneuvers in the demonstration include: -High Alpha Half Cuban -Weapons Bay Doors Pass -Minimum Radius Turn to High Alpha Loop -Pedal Turn -Square Loop -Slow Speed to Power Climb with a Split-S Reposition -Inverted to Inverted Roll -Tactical Pitch

Each air show demonstration is scheduled to last approximately 30 minutes. Half of the show will be spent performing jaw-dropping maneuvers and the other half performing the Heritage Flight profile with select vintage war planes. Olson said that he does not have a favorite maneuver but spoke about the Pedal Turn with enthusiasm.

“When you watch the ground footage from the pedal turn, it’s almost unbelievable to witness what you’re seeing,” he said. “Any inverted maneuver, where you’re up-side-down at negative 1G and hanging from the straps in the seat, is a really fun maneuver to do. You’re seeing the world from a whole different perspective.”

Olson mentioned that hanging in the straps is not something often done in fighter aircraft, so seeing this one-of-a-kind performance is sure to be a spectacle. To achieve such a unique demo profile, he has been preparing in many ways. “By the time it’s done, we’ll be at close to 30 training flights,” Olson said. “Countless hours in the simulator, academics on the ground before the first flight ever occurred and then after every training event there is careful analysis of the video from both the ground and in the cockpit.”

Viewing the videos after each flight has proven essential to this historic demo pilot’s training as he continues to refine his skills in the aircraft. “I’m just a human trying to fly this thing as best as I can, making sure my mistakes are small, manageable and correctable every time,” Olson said. And just as a lot of flying time is important to the training, the simple things are just as essential to a high-performance athlete like Olson. He says getting in the gym, staying fit, eating right and getting plenty of sleep are just a few of the things he keeps in mind, saying the flight is a workout in-and-of-itself.” [you betcha sweet bippy it is]

Other demo teams may give you a sample of one or two of these maneuvers, but nowhere else will you see all of the best maneuvers on the planet combined into one epic demo,” said Olson. “There’s no filler in this flight. It’s a light the afterburner and rage for 30 minutes kind of show.”…"

Photo: "Capt. Andrew “Dojo” Olson, F-35 Demonstration Team pilot and commander performs a weapons bay doors pass during an F-35 Demo practice at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., Jan. 16, 2019. Throughout the off-season, the F-35 Demo Team has been practicing and refining their new demonstration which will highlight the F-35A Lightning II’s full maneuvering capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexander Cook)" https://media.defense.gov/2019/Jan/22/2 ... 66-003.JPG (1.8Mb)

Source: https://www.aetc.af.mil/News/Article/17 ... maneuvers/

[sferrin]

[mixelflick]

Can't get here soon enough IMO!!!

It is a good thing they're doing this. As in, very. I have a feeling once the American public sees what this thing can do once the gloves are off, public perception is going to change in a very, very good way...

I live in MA and the schedule has them nowhere near here, but I'll be travelling 2:20 to NY state to see it for sure. By the way they're talking, I doubt I'll be disappointed...

[steve2267]

FWIW, the US Air Force F-35 Lightning II Demonstration team has the following

Facebook page (@F35DEMO)

It looks like there will be a series of podcasts featuring Dojo and the development of the 2019 demo routine(s).

The first podcast may be found here: Episode 1 "Dojo & Maneuvers"