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Answer: We had 100% success even in the clouds; the big thing here is that the plane is
very stable and reliable with no problems. We had no disconnections; the F-35 is a very
stable airplane.
Question: This is the first F-35 built on a new assembly line. Did that come into play
in your calculations in flying the aircraft?
Answer: We did 15 flight hours with AL-1 prior to crossing the Atlantic and we had no
issues, and I mean NO issues.
It is the first F-35 built outside the United States. Our workers at the FACO worked as a
team as a team to get this result. We are building for our own air force and wings for
other air forces.
We flew the jet 5 times back to back to back to back prior to coming. I don’t think that
has ever been done before as well.
Question: How many flight hours do you have on the F-35?
Answer: About 50 real flight hours. I was formerly a Tornado pilot in the reconnais-
sance role. And then became a test pilot.
Question: After the testing here, what is next for the jet?
Answer: We will take the first two aircraft to Luke AFB. Then in a few months will bring
additional aircraft to Luke. This summer we will ferry number 4 and 5 to give us a full
complement of five at Luke.
All the student pilots at Luke fly the aircraft in the fleet whether US, Australian, Nor-
wegian or Italian. And the training allows us to learn common TTPs from the ground
up.
We are building a fifth generation approach from the ground up.
Question: When you sit in the F-35 cockpit and flew across the Atlantic how did the
various systems assist you in the flight?
Second Line of Defense Lessons Learned at Pax River
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