Forum: F-35 milestones

The F-35B can only enter STOVL mode below 250 knots. It is a test with gear up. Make of it what you will.

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More good news about the rate of flight tests.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... -more.html

Quote:

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. --- Naval Air Systems Command announced May 17 that the test aircraft for the carrier variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have exceeded test and evaluation program goals so far this year.

According to the announcement, the F-35C test aircraft, 'CF-1,' currently at Naval Air Station Patuxent River has completed 36 test flights as of May 11, nearly half the program's goal for the year of 85.

"CF-1's been flying well, even with a number of planned and unplanned maintenance periods," said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Roger Cordell, military site director. "It's a great sign for the fleet that the aircraft is doing well so early in the test program."

In April, CF-1 completed 13 flights, tying a record for the number of test flights for any aircraft at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Additionally, the integrated test team has completed seven CF-1 test flights this month.

"The team has been doing a great job staying on top of maintenance requirements," said Jim McClendon, Lockheed Martin site director vice president. "Just last week, CF-1 flew six flights in six days, which is a great accomplishment in any test program, let alone test and evaluation for a brand new aircraft."

Coupled with this week's arrival of the second carrier variant, CF-2, and arrival of CF-3 later this year, the F-35C test program is making rapid progress toward initial carrier suitability testing this year at Joint Base Lakehurst-McGuire-Dix in New Jersey.

First carrier suitability testing this summer is scheduled to include the first catapult launches, and the F-35C is scheduled to commence shipboard testing in 2013.

The F-35C is the carrier variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, with larger wing control surfaces and reinforced landing gear to operate in the maritime environment. The F-35C is undergoing test and evaluation to evaluate flutter, loads and mission systems at NAS Patuxent River prior to eventual delivery to the fleet. (ends)

New JSF Flight Test Data by Amy Butler May/20/2011

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/de ... d=blogDest

"Thus far, the F-35 flight test force has executed 808 total flights totaling 1,227 total flight hours, according to Steve O’Bryan, director of business development for the program at Lockheed Martin.

Senior F-35 leadership, including government Joint Program Office director Vice Adm. David Venlet and Lockheed’s executive VP Larry Lawson, are emphasizing improved flight test performance for the program since last year. Also, the per-sortie productivity has exceeded predictions, allowing the test team to burn through objectives more quickly than anticipated.

These results appear to be contributing to a renewed sense of confidence in the program. See Aviation Week’s article out Monday on this issue (subscriber only). This data thus far does not, however, overshadow the huge debate that continues in Washington about the per-unit cost of the aircraft as well as the ~$1 trillion figure associated with maintaining the fleet.

Meanwhile, AF-8 and AF-9 are being readied for delivery to the schoolhouse at Eglin AFB, Fla., for training. This will likely take place next month.

Below are flight test results [HOURS?] per tail number for the test fleet as of May 17, 2011. This data excludes flights of AA-1 (the pre-production test aircraft now undergoing live fire testing) and the CATbird (Lockheed Martin’s avionics test bed).

Subtotals by Tail Number

AF-1: 132 Total Flights/236.8 Total Flight Hours

AF-2: 120 Total Flights/217.7 Total Flight Hours

AF-3: 33 Total Flights/58.2 Total Flight Hours

AF-4: 30 Total Flights/48.7 Total Flight Hours

AF-6: 8 Total Flights/12.7 Total Flight Hours

AF-7: 8 Total Flights/15.2 Total Flight Hours

BF-1: 124 Total Flights/113.7 Total Flight Hours

BF-2: 115 Total Flights/150.6 Total Flight Hours

BF-3: 110 Total Flights/159.7 Total Flight Hours

BF-4: 51 Total Flights/91 Total Flight Hours

BF-5: 6 Total Flights/7.8 Total Flight Hours

CF-1: 65 Total Flights/105.3 Total Flight Hours

CF-2: 6 Total Flights/10.3 Total Flight Hours

Subtotals by F-35 variant

F-35A: 331 Total Flights/589.3 Total Flight Hours

F-35B: 406 Total Flights/522.8 Total Flight Hours

F-35C: 71 Total Flights/115.6 Total Flight Hours

O'Bryan also adds that while 10 vertical landings took place in 2010, the team has achieved 100 in 2011."

In 2011 F-35 has completed;

1- 352 test flights
2- more than 2,880 test points
3- more than 100 vertical landings
4- and 200 short takeoffs Very Happy

In the current schedule; the F-35 is currently ahead on test flights and test points and three production-model jets have been delivered this month, May 2011. Very Happy

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/pres ... letes.html

Final F-35 Flight Test Aircraft Completes First Flight

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 23rd, 2011

-- The final F-35 Lightning II flight test aircraft, a carrier variant designated CF-3, launches from Naval Air Station (NAS) Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base on May 21 on the way to completing its first test flight. CF-3 continues its flight testing in Fort Worth, preparing to fly to NAS Patuxent River, Md., later this year. Once there, it will join two other carrier variant aircraft and four short takeoff/vertical landing aircraft as part of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps flight test program.
Cheers

CF-3 is Final F-35 Flight Test Aircraft ? Not CF-4?

fang wrote:

CF-3 is Final F-35 Flight Test Aircraft ? Not CF-4?

..for now...

cf-4 was cancelled Embarassed

cf-5 was added to SDD;

"The program anticipates the remaining CV flight sciences test aircraft, CF-2 and CF-5, will ferry to Patuxent River NAS, Maryland, in February 2011 and
late 2013," Smile

http://www.aviationweek.com/media/pdf/C ... 5%20AR.pdf

Lockheed Martin's Time to Shine: Wednesday May 25, 2011

http://www.airforce-magazine.com/Pages/default.aspx

"Lockheed Martin is 20 percent ahead of it's flight plan for all three variants of the F-35 strike fighter and 33 percent ahead of planned test points, Bob Stevens, company chairman and CEO, told reporters Tuesday. "There will not be another rebaseline of this program...." Full Story here but repeated in this thread due content: http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-15622.html

12 days after first flight CF-03 left Fort Worth on it's ferry flight to PAX River...
wow.

with tanker support of course...

Wow, indeed! Go Herky Bird!

Ztex wrote:

12 days after first flight CF-03 left Fort Worth on it's ferry flight to PAX River...
wow.

I was under the impression that the main gear oleos had to compress in order to fit the longer stroke main gear in the wells. The 2nd pic clearly shows they are still extended going in.

Doesn't mean they have to compress all the way--looks to me (using the angle of the scissor link) that they did compress to some degree.

F-35 Lightning II Program Status and Fast Facts--20110606

As of June 6, 2011, the F-35 flight test program has conducted 940 flights total, including 395 flights in 2011
• All three variants are progressing through their flight test programs
• Six Aircraft Delivered to Flight Test
• First Two Production Aircraft (AF-6 and AF-7) Delivered to Edwards AFB, Calif.
• Flew Most Flights on One Day in Program History (10) – May 25
• Passed 350 System Development and Demonstration Flights for 2011
• Passed 110 Vertical Landings for Program
• CTOL Passed 300 Flight Mark at Edwards AFB
• AF-8/AF-9 First Flights, Delivery to Eglin AFB, Fla., set for June 2011
• Two mission systems F-35s have begun in-flight avionics testing, and have achieved sensor fusion
• Integration and verification of the Mission Systems suite continues in parallel on our cooperative avionics test bed aircraft, and in our ground-based laboratories

------------------------------------------------------------
System Development and Demonstration (SDD)

Six Jets at Edwards AFB, Calif.
• AF-1–FF Nov. 14, 2009; Ferry May 17, 2010
• AF-2 –FF April 20, 2010; Ferry May 17, 2010
• AF-3 –FF July 6, 2010; Ferry Dec. 11, 2010
• AF-4 - FF Dec. 30, 2010; Ferry Jan. 22, 2011
• AF-6 – FF Feb. 25, 2011; Ferry May 13, 2011
• AF-7 – FF March 4, 2011; Ferry May 6, 2011

Seven Jets at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.
• BF-1– FF June 2008; Ferry Nov. 15, 2009; First VL March 18, 2010
• BF-2 – FF Feb. 25, 2009; Ferry Dec. 29, 2009; First VL Jan. 26, 2011
• BF-3– FF Feb. 2, 2010; Ferry Feb. 17, 2010; First VL April 29, 2011
• BF-4– FF April 6, 2010; Ferry June 7, 2010; First VL April 27, 2011
• CF-1– FF June 6, 2010; Ferry Nov. 6, 2010
• CF-2– FF April 29, 2011; Ferry May 16, 2011
• CF-3– FF May 21, 2011; Ferry June 2, 2011

One Jet Currently in Fort Worth
• BF-5 (FW) – FF Jan. 27, 20 (will ferry to PAX in Summer 2011)

**FF = first flight; VL = vertical landing

------------------------------------------------------------
Training
• AF-8 – FF May 6, 2011; Ferry to Eglin AFB, Fla., set for June 2011
• AF-9- FF May 13, 2011; Ferry to Eglin AFB, Fla., set for June 2011

PDF here: F-35 Lightning II Program Status and Fast Facts--20110606 translation 6 June 2011

http://f-35.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/ ... 6-2011.pdf (45Kb)

As of June 6, 2011, the F-35 flight test program has conducted 940 flights total, including 395 flights in 2011

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it's June 23 now, JSF has already conducted 1,000th flight?

Forum: F-35 milestones

Overview of F-35 test flights