First CV Formation Flight
18 April 2012: Two F-35C carrier variant test aircraft launched together from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, and flew in formation for the first time. F-35C CF-1 and CF-2 were piloted by US Navy Cdr. Eric Buus and US Marine Corps Lt. Col. Matt Taylor, respectively. The mission tested flying qualities of the aircraft during taking off, landing, and formation flight for more than one hour to mark CF-1 Flight 134 and CF-2 Flight 88.
Photo by Andy Wolfe
First F-35A Aerial Refuel With External Stores
21 April 2012: F-35A aircraft AF-4 completed the conventional takeoff and landing variant's first inflight refueling mission at Edwards AFB, California, while configured with external weapons. US Air Force Lt. Col. George Schwartz, flying an F-35A configured with two inert AIM-9X missiles and four external pylons, refueled from an Air Force KC-10 tanker. Internally, the jet carried two GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munitions and two AIM-120 AMRAAMs. The 2.9-hour test mission marked AF-4 Flight 109.
Photo by Tom Reynolds
Edwards Adds A Pilot
24 April 2012: US Air Force Maj. Matthew Phillips flew F-35A AF-3 to become the thirty-sixth pilot to fly the F-35. The 1.5-hour pilot qualification mission at Edwards AFB, California, marked AF-3 Flight 113.
Photo by Paul Weatherman
First Carrier Variant Approach Handling Qualities Test
3 May 2012: The F-35 Integrated Test Force continued preparations for F-35C carrier variant ship trials with the first handling approach qualities test at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. US Marine Corps Lt. Col. Matt Taylor executed sixteen touch and goes, one wave off, and two full stop landings during the 1.4-hour mission. The test marked F-35C CF-3 Flight 53.
Photo by Michael Jackson
750th F-35B Flight
31 May 2012: US Air Force Lt. Cdr. Eric Buus flew the F-35 test program’s 750th flight, a 1.2-hour flutter test from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. The test marked F-35B BF-2 Flight 193.
Photo by Andy Wolfe
Edwards Adds Another Pilot
1 June 2012: US Air Force Maj. Brent Reinhardt became the thirty-eighth pilot to fly the F-35 with a 1.6-hour mission at Edwards AFB, California. The check flight marked F-35A AF-6 Flight 81.
Photo by Kevin Robertson
Lockheed Martin Adds Another Pilot
8 June 2012: Lockheed Martin test pilot Billie Flynn accomplished his first F-35 flight at NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas. The 0.9-hour pilot qualification mission marked F-35B BF-5 Flight 34.
Photo by Andy Wolfe
Pax Adds A Navy Pilot
9 June 2012: US Navy Lt. Cdr. Michael Burks joined the pilot roster at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, as the fortieth F-35 pilot. His 1.1-hour check ride marked F-35B BF-2 Flight 195.
Photo by Andy Wolfe
First CV Night Flight
13 June: US Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Matt Taylor took off in F-35C test aircraft CF-2 for the first night flight for the carrier variant. The flight lasted 1.2 hours and evaluated the aircraft’s night lighting system. The night test marked CF-2 Flight 109.
Photo by Layne Laughter
First Flight With Asymmetric Weapons Load
14 June: F-35B test aircraft BF-2 completed the first test flight for the short takeoff and vertical landing variant with an asymmetric weapons load. US Navy Cmdr. Eric Buus flew BF-2 with an inert AIM-9X Sidewinder missile on the starboard pylon, a centerline 25mm gun pod, and a GBU-32 and AIM-120 in the starboard weapon bay. The two-hour flight included two sorties at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. The test marked BF-2 Flight 197.
Photo by Andy Wolfe
Lockheed Martin Adds Another Pilot
20 June 2012: Lockheed Martin test pilot Paul Hattendorf qualified with a 1.2-hour check flight as Lightning 41 – the forty-first pilot to fly the F-35. He checked out on F-35B BF-5 Flight 35 from NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas.
Photo by John Wilson
1,000th Test Flight Hour In 2012
21 June 2012: The F-35 test fleet surpassed 1,000 test flight hours in 2012 with six flights at Edwards AFB, California, and at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, on the same day. F-35As AF-2, AF-6 and AF-7, F-35B BF-2, and F-35C CF-2 logged the hours on 21 June to reach the milestone.
Photo by Michael Jackson
