Fri, Mar 02, 2012
Aircraft Ready To Begin Initial Operations After Airworthiness
Board Approval
Officials at the Aeronautical Systems Center a Wright Patterson
AFB in Ohio have issued a Military Flight Release that will allow
the F-35A Lightning II fighter to begin initial operations at Eglin
Air Force Base, FL. This decision was reached after an
airworthiness board conducted an assessment that evaluated
potential risks and the corresponding mitigation actions to conduct
unmonitored flights.
USAF Image
Flying the Air Force variant of the joint strike fighter will
increase pilot and maintainer familiarity with the aircraft,
exercise the logistics infrastructure and continue to develop
aircraft maturity. These initial F-35A flights will be limited,
scripted, conducted within the restrictions and stipulations of the
MFR and flown by qualified pilots, officials said.
"The Air Force, Joint Strike Fighter Program Office and other
stakeholders have painstakingly followed established risk
acceptance and mitigation processes to ensure the F-35A is ready,"
said Gen. Donald Hoffman, the commander of Air Force Materiel
Command, the parent organization of ASC. "This is an important step
for the F-35A and we are confident the team has diligently balanced
the scope of initial operations with system maturity."
The assessment was conducted with airworthiness engineering
subject matter experts within ASC and was fully coordinated with
the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, Air Education and
Training Command and other expert participants. The Air Force is
confident the aircraft is ready to fly in a safe and efficient
manner, Hoffman said.
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