First Navy Pilot Flies F-35C

Photo by Andy Wolfe

Lt. Cmdr. Eric Buus became the first United States Navy pilot to fly the F-35C on 11 February 2011. The mission lasted 2.1 hours and was the thirty-second flight for CF-1, the first F-35C test aircraft. Buus has now flown both F-35 sea-service variants. He became the first Naval Aviator to fly the F-35B on 3 February 2011. “The in-air handling qualities of the F-35C are excellent, and very similar to the B variant. I immediately felt right at home in the aircraft,” said Buus. “The Navy should be excited about having an aircraft that will be able to launch from our carriers with enough internal fuel and weapons to project power where we need to, and will have the stealth characteristics to go in and out of harm’s way unseen.  This will be a great leap in technology and capability for the future of Naval Aviation.”