You just know that this
guy has a very lucky rabbit's foot. Maj. Michael Hoepfner said he
has the greatest job in the world. As the first local fighter pilot
to complete his F/A-22 Raptor checkout flight at Tyndall AFB, few
would argue.
"I feel so lucky that I got to be the first to qualify," he said
of his recent feat.
The assistant director of operations for the 43rd Fighter
Squadron is one of only three fighter pilots here currently
qualified to fly the F/A-22, and he is the first pilot to qualify
in a Tyndall-stationed Raptor. Lt. Col. Jeffrey Harrigian, 43rd FS
commander, and Maj. Steven Luczynski, a 43rd FS flight commander,
both completed their training at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
"Training Major Hoepfner provided a tremendous sense of pride
for everyone in the 43rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit and the Raptor
team as a whole to include all our contractor support," Colonel
Harrigian said.
Major Hoepfner arrived at Tyndall in May 2002. As an F-16
Fighting Falcon veteran, he continues to fly out of Eglin AFB,
Fla., supporting operational testing.
"As an F-16 pilot, I think it's one of the most beautiful planes
on earth and does so many different things. We call ourselves the
jacks of all trades and the masters of none," Major Hoepfner said.
"In the F/A-22 though, we'll be the masters of all."
Being able to get up high and fast stacks the fight in the
Raptor's favor as the fifth generation of fighter jet, he said.
The mantra of the F/A-22 program is stealth, integrated
avionics, increased maneuverability and supercruise leading to an
increased precision and attack capability.
"The big difference is in the aircraft's capabilities," Major
Hoepfner said. "The F/A-22 is two steps above the F-16 in every
area I can think of. It's an absolutely amazing jet."
The F/A-22 also outperforms the F-15 Eagle, proving to be more
maneuverable, more reliable and less detectable than the Eagle.
Essentially, the F/A-22 elevates U.S. technological advantages and
updates '70s technology, providing first-look, first-shot,
first-kill capability.
Initial flight training for the single-seat aircraft included a
trip to the Boeing headquarters in Seattle for ground school
academic training that lasted two weeks. Then, Major Hoepfner
traveled to Atlanta for training on the high-fidelity tactical
simulators.
Emergency procedure
simulator training was conducted here and after numerous sessions,
he said he felt more than ready to take the Raptor up for the first
time.
When he flew his first Raptor sortie Nov. 12, he realized he had
been working toward that day for two and a half years.
"At Eglin, I kept saying I want to fly that jet someday," Major
Hoepfner said.
"Finally getting to do it was purely amazing. I'd heard all the
stories how maneuverable the jet was and how the radar performed,
but until you see it yourself, you really don't get an appreciation
for the ability of this jet to do whatever you ask it to do."
After the core cadre of seven pilots here gets qualified by
early spring, three other F-15 pilots are scheduled to arrive at
the 43rd for F/A-22 training. Officials are expecting to bring
in an initial cadre small classes from Langley AFB, Va. [ANN Thanks
Christine Sullivan, 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs]