F-35 Pilot Roster

Maj. Joseph Bachmann completed his first flight in the F-35 in a 1.3-hour test mission in F-35 AA-1 from NAS Fort Worth JRB on 19 March 2009.  This was Flight 90 for AA-1. Bachmann is the first US Marine Corps pilot to fly the F-35.

BAE test pilot Graham Tomlinson becomes the fourth pilot and the first BAE test pilot to fly the Lightning II on 28 May 2008 when he takes off in F-35 AA-1 for a test mission from NAS Fort Worth JRB. This mission marks Flight 42 for AA-1. Tomlinson would go on to fly the first flight of the first F-35B on 11 June 2008.

USAF Lt. Col. James Kromberg, the director of operations for the 461st Flight Test Squadron at Edwards AFB, California, became the third pilot and the first military pilot to fly the F-35 on 30 January 2008. The test flight, flown in F-35 AA-1 from NAS Fort Worth JRB, included handling qualities maneuvers, engine throttle transients, and formation flying.

Lockheed Martin test pilot Jeff Knowles becomes the second pilot to fly the F-35 on 11 April 2007 when he takes off from NAS Fort Worth JRB in F-35 AA-1. This was Flight 12 for AA-1.

The F-35 Lightning II took to the air for the first time on 15 December 2006 with chief test pilot Jon Beesley at the controls. During this maiden flight, Beesley performed a military power takeoff and executed a series of maneuvers to evaluate the handling qualities of the aircraft. The airplane flew to 15,000 feet and a maximum speed of 225 knots.

USN Lt. Cdr. Greg Fenton became the eighth pilot to fly the X-35 on 18 February 2001. The flight involved the forty-fourth flight of the X-35C with takeoff and landing from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.

USN Lt. Cdr. Brian Goszkowicz became the seventh pilot to fly the X-35 on 22 December 2000. The flight involved the fourth flight of the X-35C with takeoff and landing from Edwards AFB, California.

RAF Sdn. Ldr. Justin Paines became the sixth pilot to fly the X-35 on 18 November 2000. The flight involved X-35A with takeoff and landing from Edwards AFB, California. Paines also flew the X-35B and X-35C during the X-35 flight test program.

BAE test pilot Simon Hargreaves became the fifth pilot to fly the X-35 on 18 November 2000. The flight involved X-35A with takeoff and landing from Edwards AFB, California. Hargreaves also flew the first flight of the X-35B, a vertical takeoff and landing flight, on 23 June 2001.

Lockheed Martin test pilot Joe Sweeney became the fourth pilot to fly the X-35 on 15 November 2000. The flight involved X-35A with takeoff and landing from Edwards AFB, California. Sweeney was also the test pilot for the first flight of the X-35C on 16 December 2012.

USMC Maj. Art Tomassetti became the third pilot, and the first USMC pilot, to fly the X-35 on 10 November 2000. The flight involved X-35A with takeoff and landing from Edwards AFB, California. Tomassetti also flew the X-35B and X-35C during the X-35 flight test program.

USAF Lt. Col. Paul Smith became the second pilot, and the first government pilot, to fly the X-35 on 3 November 2000. The flight involved X-35A with takeoff and landing from Edwards AFB, California. Smith also flew the X-35C during the X-35 flight test program.