Navy F-35C DT-III Testing

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 17 Aug 2016, 04:36

Screenshot taken at beginning of this CVN-73 video shows the FOUR wire setup (with barricade sheaves between 3 & 4):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG9uMzySyrc

Jon · by **Jon** » 17 Aug 2016, 06:53

Here's all the aircraft. I uploaded a few samples so all the VFA-101 aircraft are covered. Appears to be two test birds, one Navy VFA-101 and three USMC VFA-101. I cropped some of the photos so the aircraft is larger in the frame.

CF-3 VX-23 SD-73

USNavy F-35C (CF-03) takes off from USS George Washington (CVN-73) during F-35C Development Test III on August 14th, 2016. [Lockheed Martin photo by Todd R. McQueen]

CF-5 VX-23 SD-75

USNavy F-35C (CF-05) assigned to the Salty Dogs of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-23, prepares to land on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) on August 15th, 2016. VX-23 is conducting its third and final developmental test (DT-III) phase aboard George Washington in the Atlantic Ocean. [USNavy photo by MCS. 3rd Cl. Wyatt L. Anthony]

169160 VFA-101 NJ-121 - USMC

USNavy F-35C #169160 assigned to the Grim Reapers of VFA-101, the Navy’s F-35C Fleet replacement squadron, launches off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) on August 14th, 2016. [USNavy photo by MCS. 2nd Cl. Kris R. Lindstrom]

169162 VFA-101 NJ-123 - USMC

USNavy F-35C #169162 assigned to VFA-101, the Navy’s F-35C Fleet replacement squadron, lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) on August 14th, 2016 in the Atlantic Ocean. [USNavy photo by MCS. 2nd Cl. Kris R. Lindstrom]

169163 VFA-101 NJ-124 - USMC

USNavy F-35C #169163 assigned to the Grim Reapers of VFA-101, launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) on August 14th, 2016. VFA-101 aircraft and pilots are conducting initial qualifications aboard George Washington in the Atlantic Ocean. The F-35C is expected to be Fleet operational in 2018. [USNavy photo by MCS. 2nd Cl. Alex L. Smedegard]

169302 VFA-101 NJ-125 - USN

USNavy F-35C #169302 assigned to the Grim Reapers of VFA-101 launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) on August 15th, 2016. VFA-101 aircraft and pilots are conducting initial qualifications aboard George Washington in the Atlantic Ocean. The F-35C is expected to be Fleet operational in 2018. [USNavy photo by MCS. 3rd Cl. Bryan Mai]

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 17 Aug 2016, 08:53

More photos here: http://navylive.dodlive.mil/2016/08/16/ ... e-thunder/
UND
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lockheedm ... 9446446264

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lockheedm ... 446446264/

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8354/284 ... 18_o_d.jpg

ngroot0 · by **ngroot0** » 17 Aug 2016, 09:50

Jon wrote:169163 VFA-101 NJ-124 - USMC

I think 169163 is flying with NAVY on the back, at least in this picture: https://www.flickr.com/photos/36600796@ ... 5/sizes/k/
BuNo is hard to read though.
Edit: 'NAVY' is also readable in this picture: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lockheedm ... 0/sizes/k/

NJ-126 was on the ship too, which is probably 169303 (not confirmed yet).

neptune · by **neptune** » 17 Aug 2016, 10:58

It is truly satisfying to see these "gaggle"of F-35s finally on a flight deck.

Watch: F-35C Developmental Testing Aboard USS George Washington

Aviation Week’s

Pentagon Editor Lara Seligman

U.S. Navy aboard the USS George Washington Aug. 16 just off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia, for the final phase of developmental testing of the F-35C carrier variant....More

(nice flight deck ops)

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 17 Aug 2016, 13:16

AvWeak Video may be seen: https://www.facebook.com/avweek/videos/ ... 482947200/ (5.7Mb .MP4) [+ Slo Mo 3 Wire]

sferrin · by **sferrin** » 17 Aug 2016, 13:21

Solomon must be on suicide watch. :lmao:

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 17 Aug 2016, 22:50

F-35C Back at Sea for 3rd Round of Carrier Tests
17 Aug 2016 Chris Cavas

"...And this was only Day Two of nearly three weeks of expected flight operations aboard the George Washington....

...DT III will refine maximum power launches from all four of the carrier’s catapults and work to establish operating parameters with external and asymmetric weapons loading on the aircraft’s wings, along with certifying various systems for landing qualifications and interoperability. Logistics is also a feature of DT III, where an aircraft from VFA-101 will undergo an engine switchout.

VFA-101, with five aircraft, was on board to qualify 12 pilots in deck landings, said squadron commander Capt. James Christie. All the pilots will in turn become instructors, as VFA-101’s mission is to become the training squadron for other F-35C squadrons.

“We’re developing a syllabus,” Christie said, that will be used by pilots as they transition both from training aircraft and older F/A-18s into the 35C....

...As on all carriers, pilots perform the duties of landing signal officer (LSO), watching and grading every landing. One of VFA-101’s LSOs is Lt. Graham Cleveland, who is a veteran of all three F-35C at sea tests.

Both VX-23 and VFA-101 pilots were handling LSO duties aboard the George Washington. “It takes a village,” he said, as the test and evaluation and operational squadron LSOs mingled and shared opinions and expertise.

Like many of the pilots, Cleveland said the F-35C is a bit easier to fly than the F/A-18s – with a caveat.

“The 35 is a lot more easier to fly and a lot more difficult to operate,” he said. “Basic flying is easy but mission systems are more complex.”...

...VX-23’s task is detailed and rigorous – even at times tedious – as the squadron’s pilots conduct as many as 500 launch and recovery cycles to establish a wide range of operating parameters. The aircraft’s performance with a variety of weights and loads needs to be established, including how it handles when external weapons are loaded and carried in an uneven fashion....

...test pilots need to check how the plane handles in many configurations, including heavy weapons on one side but not the other, and different types of weapons loaded on each station.

One issue that rose during the aircraft’s development seems to have been solved. There no longer seem to be any significant problems with the tail hook, which in 2012 was revealed to have a number of reliability issues in catching the arresting wire. A redesign of the hook and its installation appears to have been successful. [no kidding]

Maj. Eric Northam of VX-23, the first Marine to fly the F-35C off a carrier, declared there were no problems with the hook. “We’ve had a very successful boarding rate,” he said. “One hundred percent so far.”

The carrier did not need special modifications to operate the F-35C, said commanding officer Capt. Timothy Kuehhas, although there were some software upgrades to some operating systems. About 100 crew members, he said, received handling and launch procedure training in the aircraft at the Navy’s carrier flight systems test site in Lakehurst, New Jersey...."

Source: http://www.defensenews.com/articles/f-3 ... rier-tests

XanderCrews · by **XanderCrews** » 17 Aug 2016, 22:58

sferrin wrote:Solomon must be on suicide watch.

Presuming he doesn't think the whole think is a hoax designed all for him?

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 18 Aug 2016, 09:50

US Navy makes F-35C carrier qualification push
17 Aug 2016 Stephen Trimble

"...The F-35C also is being scrutinized for how its redesigned arresting hook performs the George Washington’s flight deck. In the first round of carrier testing aboard the USS Nimitz in November 2014, the F-35C’s resculpted tailhook performed flawlessly, with no unplanned missed landings in 122 attempts, according to a 2016 report by the Pentagon’s Office of Test Evaluation. Such testing includes some planned missed approaches to evaluate how the aircraft performs during a go-around.

But a follow-up deployment last October aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower resulted in seven “bolters” in 62 attempted carrier landings. Those results may have been skewed, however, because one of the four arresting wires on the Eisenhower’s deck was out of service during the demonstration.

In dozens of attempted landings from 14 August to 17 August on the Washington, the F-35Cs had reported no unplanned missed landings, according to the F-35 joint programme office.

Carrier suitability also evaluates how the F-35C is maintained at sea. Operations require maintainers to perform checks of engines and auxiliary power units (APUs) below-deck inside the carrier’s hangar. The functional APU in the F-35C — Honeywell’s integrated power package (IPP) — vents hot exhaust upward from the top of the fuselage. The navy’s maintainers are monitoring whether the heat damages the hangar ceiling and how the emissions escape from within the hangar bay...."

Source: https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... sh-428594/