"F-35 Test Flight Deemed a Success"

F-35 Test Flight Deemed a Success

By ANGELA K. BROWN
The Associated Press
Saturday, December 16, 2006; 12:03 AM

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The new stealth fighter jet that will replace an
aging fleet of military planes experienced a largely successful first
flight Friday, with only a minor glitch, Lockheed Martin Corp.
officials said. Jon S. Beesley, chief test pilot for the Joint Strike
Fighter, also known as the F-35, said the plane handled "marvelously,"
performed flawlessly and flew better than the simulator. He flew to
15,000 feet, escorted by three jets that provided safety and took
pictures. "It was a great adventure," he said. "Today really started
the opening for me for the rest of this greatest fighter program in
history where we're going to go forward and develop this great weapons
system that will protect everybody, and that's what it's all about."
Officials initially said the test flight would last an hour; Beesley
flew for 35 minutes. One of two air data sensors was not operating
properly, he said. Although it did not pose a danger, the procedure
called for ending the flight at that time, preventing completion of the
remaining few tests, including raising the landing gear, officials
said. "Certainly to fly this first flight with the duration of almost
40 minutes and to only have this single warning appear in the pilot's
display related to this sensor is remarkable, and we're really pleased
with the quality of this first jet," said Dan Crowley, executive vice
president and general manager of the Joint Strike Fighter program.
Runway tests that began last week were completed this week. Officials
had been waiting for good weather for the maiden flight, which almost
didn't happen Friday because of fog and wind. Security was tight Friday
at Lockheed's Fort Worth facility, where the flight took place. But
hundreds of cars parked on the side of the road outside the plant near
the runway, many people holding video cameras in hopes of catching a
glimpse of the supersonic jet, as word spread of the test flight. Many
cheered as the plane took off. Lockheed employees gathered near the
runway also applauded, and some were moved to tears as the gray jet
took off, said some officials, who reported receiving phone calls from
other countries as soon as news spread of the flight. "I would call
this the flight that was heard round the world," said Tom Burbage,
executive vice president for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. and
general manager for the Joint Strike Fighter program integration.
Beesley, who was greeted with roaring cheers as he stepped out of the
cockpit after landing, later said the plane will continue test flights
next week. Brig. Gen. Charles R. Davis, the program executive officer
for the F-35 Lightning II program office in Arlington, Va., said this
jet was the first of 20 planes to be built at Lockheed's Fort Worth
plant that will have test flights there over the next 18 months. After
10 years of development, Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin is moving
to the early stages of production for what could be thousands of
fighter jets for the American military and eight countries _ and
possibly the largest defense contract ever, $275 billion over the next
two decades. The U.S. plans to use the F-35 to replace aging planes
used by the Marines, Air Force and Navy, including jets like the F-16,
the F-18 and the Harrier jet. Lockheed and its subcontractors are
making three different versions that will be used by the different
branches. The Marine version will be able to make vertical takeoffs.