Pilot completes first F-35 vertical landing for Royal Air Force
June 27, 2013
PATUXENT RIVER, Md., 26 June 2013. Squadron Leader Jim Schofield has become the first Royal Air Force pilot to complete a vertical landing of a Lockheed Martin F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) Lightning II military aircraft.
PATUXENT RIVER, Md., 26 June 2013. Squadron Leader Jim Schofield has become the first Royal Air Force pilot to complete a vertical landing of a Lockheed Martin F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) Lightning II military aircraft.
Following the flight, Schofield commented on the F-35B’s handling capabilities:
“The F-35 has truly revolutionized STOVL flying. With legacy types, such as Harrier, the pilot was always working hard to land the aircraft onto a hover pad or ship. Now with F-35B, at the press of a button the aircraft transforms into ‘short take-off or vertical landing’ mode whereupon the aircraft can take off or hover hands-off. This means pilots will require less training and operating the aircraft will be much safer than legacy types. It’s a fantastic aircraft to fly.”
The U.S. Marine Corps plans to declare Initial Operational Capability with the STOVL in 2015.
(Lockheed Martin photo by Dane Wiedmann)
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