Forum: F-35 milestones

BF-2 Flight 9
8.13.09

LM says...

Thursday's successful mission is the first in a short series of tests that will clear the STOVL F-35B variant for extended-range flights, particularly to its primary test site at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

When was flight 8?

F-16.net Sponsor

8.31.09 The SECDEF was in town for a visit to Lock Mart...so the new toy came out to play a bit...he made several passes with a couple of breaks over the base.

F-35B Back in the Air for STOVL Tests Posted by Graham Warwick at 9/8/2009

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/de ... 7c18aba2c0
OR
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/ ... 090909.xml

"The first STOVL F-35B, aircraft BF-1, returned to the air with a hour-long flight on Friday, restarting the countdown to the first vertical landing - in October would be my guess. BF-1 was down for an extended period of modifications resulting from previous flight and hover-pit tests, and proved reluctant to return to flight.".......

Forum Veteran Joined: Jul 01, 2007 - 07:22 PM Posts: 620

You are entitled to your opinion, I guess. Even though it's wrong.

Last edited by energo on Sep 11, 2009 - 12:12 AM; edited 1 time in total

AA-1 flight 88 (SecDef Gates’ visit)

On Monday August 31, Doc Nelson got airborne in AA-1 for a 1.3 hour sortie. After performing an AB takeoff, Doc transitioned to the test range with the F-16 chase. After some flying qualities testing, Doc executed two low approaches before completing a straight in to a full stop landing.

B. Bolsøy
Oslo

Last edited by energo on Sep 16, 2009 - 10:03 PM; edited 1 time in total

BF-1 flight 15 (return to flight)

On Friday September 4, BF-1 conducted its 15th flight with Jon Beesley as pilot. With a MIL power takeoff the one-hour flight mainly consisted of flying qualities maneuvering and gear cycling. Power Approach Flying Qualities maneuvers were conducted before a straight in approach to a full stop landing.

B. Bolsøy
Oslo

Vitriol aside...

AA-1 left Fort Worth for Edwards yesterday....so long to a cool machine!

BF-1 flew today? ...9.24.09

BF-1 flew today? ...9.24.09

Last edited by energo on Oct 22, 2009 - 09:36 PM; edited 1 time in total

BF-1 Flight 16
O.D. Bachman flew Flight 16 on Saturday Sept. 19 with a F/A-18 chase aircraft. This was the second of two planned functional check flights and the 1.4 hour sortie included flying qualities and engine throttle transients at altitudes up to 30,000 feet.

BF-1 Flights 17, 18
On Sept. 24, Flight 17 was flown for a 0.9 hour sortie. Objectives achieved included baseline doors closed/gear down Flying Qualities (FQs) maneuver blocks and Parameter Identification test maneuvers.

On Sept 25, Flight 18 was flown for a 1.1 hour sortie, landing Code 1. The primary objective of this flight was to achieve STOVL doors open initial transitions with the Auxiliary Air Inlet, Lower Lift Fan, Roll Post and 3 Bearing Swivel Nozzle doors open and gear down. The team accomplished an FQ maneuver block with the doors open, doors closed Parameter Identification maneuvers and a CV recovery profile to investigate CV regeneration resistor temperature while flying in close formation. The flight comcluded with a straight in approach to a full stop landing.

BF-1 Flights 19, 20, 21
BF-1 accomplished three STOVL door initial transition test flights for a total of 2.6 flight hours, providing engineers with important information related to airflow off the STOVL when the lift fan is not engaged, and structural loads.

Flight 19 was flown on Sept. 29 for 0.8 hours and performed STOVL doors initial transition testing maneuvers. Flight 20 was flown on Sept. 30 for 0.8 hours conducting tests at 5K/245 Knots Calibrated Air Speed. Flight 21 was flown on Oct. 2 for 1.0 hour duration with maneuvers at 5K/10 and 12 degrees AOA.

BF-1 Flights 22, 23, 24
Team JSF achieved an important breakthrough with three flights of BF-1 this week. Following a flight on Thursday, Oct. 16, two flights were flown in CTOL-mode, doors-open flights on Saturday, Oct. 17. Also performed were two taxi tests at 30 and 60 kts with the lift fan clutch engaged.

Acknowledged as the best day of flight operations for BF-1 since its first flight in 2008, Jon Beesley and Graham Tomlinson completed the CTOL-mode, doors-open test points, demonstrating a 45-minute quick aircraft turnaround, the fastest yet. The taxi tests were the first time where the lift fan were engaged in an untethered configuration.

B. Bolsøy
Oslo

Very cool! thanks for the progress reports!

Ztex wrote:

Very cool! thanks for the progress reports!

Glad you enjoyed it. And likewise, great shots of AA-1!

B. Bolsøy
Oslo

Energo, I have no idea where you get your progress reports but great job. I hadn't heard anything about BF-1 and figured it was still grounded. Any idea when it is finally flying to Pax?

Too bad they could not fly AA-1 at the Edwards 2009 show... it would have stolen it Smile

The BF-1 flight to Pax should be soon I would think.

Good job Energo on ferreting out this info.

Howdy,

Split the thread into "F-35 program updates" for general news and comments on the program:
http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-13143.html

Cheers

B. Bolsøy
Oslo

Forum: F-35 milestones

Overview of F-35 test flights