Marine test pilot makes first F-35B night landing at sea

[SpudmanWP]

More Night & Twilight Ops

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K50UVd-cdo

[spazsinbad]

Another ZOOM view of the cameras HMDS II...

http://www.navy.mil/management/photodb/ ... 59-003.jpg

“PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (Feb. 21, 2012) Royal Air Force test pilot Squadron Leader Jim Schofield sits in the cockpit of an F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft after his first flight in the carrier variant. Schofield is the first pilot from the United Kingdom to fly the F-35C. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin by Andy Wolfe/Released)”

http://www.navy.mil/view_image.asp?id=116057

[f-22lm]

Hey Spaz, I kept on seeing a laser pointer next to the F-35. What is for? Thanks for answering.

[SpudmanWP]

Where are you seeing a laser pointer?

[spazsinbad]

This early frame screenshot from the video above shows light reflection in the camera lens - which is repeated later by the 'green laser light like pointer' of another light bloom in the camera lens under port wing tip of F-35B VLing at end of video.

[F16VIPER]

Has anyone found any photos of the pilot or pilots flying out of the WASP. One of them is Lt. Col. C.R. “Jimi” Clift.
Also any good shots of the taped HMD helmet? It seems to have the F-35 logo at the back.

[quicksilver]

This early frame screenshot from the video above shows light reflection in the camera lens - which is repeated later by the 'green laser light like pointer' of another light bloom in the camera lens under port wing tip of F-35B VLing at end of video.

If the video is being filmed from Pri-fly (Primary Flight Control or, for you Brits -- Flyco) then the refections are likely from the inside of the glass in those spaces.

Ain't no 'laser pointing' going on...

[spazsinbad]

On previous page of this very same thread this is the best screenshot of taped helmet:



All the pilots are listed here AFAIK:
http://www.codeonemagazine.com/gallery_ ... ry_style=3
http://www.codeonemagazine.com/images/m ... 7_7379.jpg

"USMC Maj. C.R. Clift became the thirty-first pilot to fly the F-35 when he took off from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, in F-35B BF-4 for a 1.2-hour test mission on 2 November 2011. Clift is the sixth USMC pilot to fly the F-35."

[spazsinbad]

Some good edited unusual video cuts of DAY STO & VLs....

Marines test F-35B vertical landing on ship

"Published on Aug 26, 2013
The F-35B variant of the Joint Strike Fighter demonstrates its capabilities on the USS Wasp while being tested by Marine Corps and Lockheed Martin pilots and engineers off the coast of North Carolina, Aug. 19, 2013. This is the second repetition of three planned sea trials designed to test the capabilities of the Department of Defense's newest multi-role jet aircraft candidate. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photos and video by Sgt. Tyler L. Main)"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG-Uzc7mbNI

[spazsinbad]

Had to laugh about some anti-F-35B websites complaining about the 'shooter' cringing during STO. Note in the video he does not even clench the deck tiedown fitting (I'll guess he could have done so if required?). Anyhoo I'll post a slowmo video of that action at one-eighth speed - meanwhile here is THE screenshot and another pic relating to 'tieing down the F-35B onboard USS Wasp'. I recall that this 'no need to grab on to anything' was noted for the first ever shooter subsequently from previous testing in Oct 2011. [My recall is not quite correct but youse get the picture from this old quote 2011.]

Vertical landings hit the mark in F-35B’s tests By Kate Wiltrout The Virginian-Pilot 20 Oct 2011

“...Engineers initially thought the jet would create far more turbulence on the flight deck because it's much more powerful than the Harrier. Cordell said for the first few flights off the Wasp, the shooter – the flight deck crewmember who taps the flight deck, signaling final permission for pilots to takeoff – was told to tuck his head down, run to the ship's island (superstructure) & hold on for the actual launch. After a number of takeoffs, Cordell said, the shooter said that precaution seemed unnecessary. Couldn't he just hold onto one of the metal rings set into the flight deck, like he did when Harriers launched? The engineers assented.

Engineers were also concerned about the forward-most flight deck crewmember – the bow-waver, who signals to the shooter that there's no interference before takeoff. "He is right at the point where the wing is demanding the most lift possible, where you'd expect outwash and potential problems. He stands there as if he has very few cares in the world," Cordell said. Adm. Kevin Scott, the commander of Expeditionary Strike Group Two, seconded that point. "I didn't believe it at first. So I walked up there and stood next to him. It was really impressive," Scott told reporters....”

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/10/vertica ... 35bs-tests

NOW on Utubby: http://youtu.be/QeJ-X1Z0saM

"ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 24, 2013) - The flight deck crew secures an F-35B Lighting II aircraft aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) following testing. Wasp is underway in support of F-35B Lightning II Developmental Testing phase II (DT-II). DT-II is a collaborative effort among the Navy, Marine Corps, and coalition partners to validate operational capabilities of the F-35B for amphibious platforms (LHD, LHA). U.S. Navy photo"

http://bymnews.com/photos/displayimage. ... fullsize=1

[spazsinbad]

F-35B Lightning II Week 1 Testing

"Published on Aug 26, 2013
Video of the F-35B Lightning II conducting Development Testing II testing aboard USS Wasp (LHD 1) during week 1 of testing."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5TC1Bbr ... e=youtu.be

First shooter in this video grabs the aircraft tiedown deck fitting. Don't forget to ZOOM full screen.

[spazsinbad]

F-35B Lightning II: From The Deckplate Of USS Wasp 28 Aug 2013
by Capt. Brian Teets is USS Wasp (LHD 1) commanding officer

"USS Wasp (LHD 1) Sailors are supporting testing and validation of the F-35B Lightning II until Aug. 30.The ship’s commanding officer explains how Wasp has prepared for the testing.

(NAVY LIVE BLOG 26 AUG 13) Capt. Brian Teets...

...Since Wasp’s designation as the F-35B LHD test platform, she has undergone a series of alterations and training evolutions to support hosting both the first and second underway phases of developmental testing; Development Testing I in October 2011 and now, Development Testing II in August 2013.

During Development Testing II, the F-35B Integrated Test Force is focused on expanding integration of the F-35B with large deck amphibious ships. This testing provides the baseline for the aircraft’s operational test in 2015. In preparation for Development Testing II, Wasp has been modified with special and unique infrastructure to accommodate test equipment, some deck-edge equipment has been moved, and accommodations for monitoring performance and environmental factors were added.

For example, we modified deck markings and lights to include the tramline and short take-off cue, we installed new materials to support thermal loading, and brought aboard temporary facilities to handle charging and storage of Lithium-Ion batteries. In some cases, the modifications not only accommodated F-35B but solved legacy ship-aircraft integration issues associated with the MV-22. For example, the new non-skid solution used for the F-35B is now an option for addressing MV-22 deck heating in operations and maintenance areas. That could be a big win for reducing maintenance time and keeping ships at sea...."

http://hrana.org/news/2013/08/f-35b-lig ... -uss-wasp/

[count_to_10]

I don't know about anyone else, but I ran the section where the shooter is bracing against the jet blast several times. Seriously, that looked cool.

[spazsinbad]

Interesting orientation of VLs in these photos: + ZOOM to Vertical Landing Visual Aids

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3798/9614 ... 6b1e_o.jpg (0.85Mb)
&
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3712/9614 ... 0722_o.jpg (2.9Mb)

[spazsinbad]

Marine Corps F-35B Finishing Sea Trials 29 Aug 2013 Kris Osborn

"USS WASP — The Marine Corps and Navy are close to wrapping up 19 days of Sea Trials for the Corps’ F-35B...

...The ongoing Sea Trials have resulted in at least 90 successful short take-offs and 92 vertical landings aboard the USS Wasp, said Joe DellaVedova, spokesman for the Joint Strike Fighter’s Joint Program Office....

...“Harriers are all manual controls. With the F-35 we have computers. A ton of engineering goes into making it a low work load. The plane is literally sampling winds, sampling conditions and the parameters,” said Marine Corps Capt. Michael Kingen, an F-35 developmental test pilot....

...The next Sea Trials for the F-35B are slated for sometime in 2016, DellaVedova said...."

http://defensetech.org/2013/08/29/marin ... ea-trials/