F-35s TWOgether for the first time (in public, anyway...)

[DocThrock]

http://gizmodo.com/5541045/two-f+35s-thundering-together-for-the-first-time

[Oscar Duck]

I'll take the P-38 version of the Lightning anyday!

[P51Mstg]

I'd rather have the F-35....... Amazing airplane. (expensive too)

Mark H

[Cvairwerks]

They are definitely going to be different to work on in the field.......There will be a steep learning curve for the maintainers out there..... They've got lots and lots of "bite you" places that are going to have to be learned by personnel. I figure the first field guys are going to need to keep a box of bandaids in their line boxes til they have a few months with the birds.

[Ztex]

There will be a steep learning curve for the maintainers out there

I thought with this jet all the young airman had to do was plug in his laptop and the airplane will tell them whats wrong, order the parts and open the access door....everything but spin the bolts...(that costs extra)




Very cool looking airplane though...Should be fun to see at the 2020 Thunderbird show!

[flyboyj]

They've got lots and lots of "bite you" places that are going to have to be learned by personnel. I figure the first field guys are going to need to keep a box of bandaids in their line boxes til they have a few months with the birds.

And you base this on????

[Cvairwerks]

Working on them every day...I've got 18 years of working on the F-16 and moved to the F-35 last year. I figure that it will take me another year before I feel that I will be up to full speed on all the systems I deal with on all three versions, and that takes into account that I'm there 7 days a week almost every week.

[flyboyj]

Working on them every day...I've got 18 years of working on the F-16 and moved to the F-35 last year. I figure that it will take me another year before I feel that I will be up to full speed on all the systems I deal with on all three versions, and that takes into account that I'm there 7 days a week almost every week.

Great insight and appreciate the info. My former room mate helped design the electrical system on the X-35 and has been on and off the program for several years now. He may go to EDW on the flight test program.

I guess the two-ship in the photo was the longest flight by two F-35s so far.

How maintenance friendly is the F-35 compared to the -16?

[Cvairwerks]

Flyboyj: It's going to be a toss-up depending on what in particular you are looking at. Some items will be much easier while others are going to be definitely harder. I'd have to see what is in the released/public domain before saying any thing specific about any of the maintenance attributes.

BTW....I got "bit" night before last working on my bird....stood up some without being far enough away from a door and gave myself a nice 4" long deep scrape across the middle of my back...stuff happens What's worse about it is that I had been in and out of that area of the bird probably 30 times in the previous 3 hours....

[flyboyj]

Thanks for the input! Understand the need to be discreet about certain things. I work at the USAFA and there's a few former -16s guys that have mixed feelings about the 35. I think their basing their feelings (or prejudices) on the F-22 and circulating stories.

Sorry about your mishap - OUCH!

In the fall of 08' I came out on the loosing end with an L-39 flap trailing edge. We had the jet on jacks and were doing the gear swing and as I was making sure jacks were secure - "BAM." about a 2 inch gash on my forehead, knocked me right on my butt. Luckily I have olive skin and heal well. Now the remnants of the scar just blend in with the other wrinkles I've developed!

[Cvairwerks]

I worked on the -22 for a while in production....got flippin sick of doing fuel tank cover nutplates...I laid on top of the A3 tank and checked material stack-ups with the nutplates installed and then had to verify it was within spec....for every nutplate individually. Then had to install each cover and torque every fastener on them in prep for tank pressurization tests. Did that for 6 of the 18 months I was on the program.

My worst bite on the -16 was during an engine startup. Left side hydraulics puked a cloud of fluid, then a steady stream as the engine passed about 30%. I told my guy to shut down we were puking fluid, stepped back and grabbed some rags and took one step inboard of the wingtip and slid all the way to the side of the a/c. Smacked the gear door and tried to hang on but couldn"t. I hit the ground flat on my back from about 30" high, landing outboard of the #4 pylon. A 4 hour trip to the hospital in a neck brace and strapped to a backboard.....ugghhh The worst part about it was my boss, who is pretty deaf due to his AF service, trying to tell my wife what was going on, over a cell phone that is pretty hard to hear over and her on a phone at home that was cutting out....Who's on first?....

If you are up at the Academy, then you probably know a couple of the USAFA brothers.....old Philmont Scout Ranch joke..

[flyboyj]

I worked on the -22 for a while in production....got flippin sick of doing fuel tank cover nutplates...I laid on top of the A3 tank and checked material stack-ups with the nutplates installed and then had to verify it was within spec....for every nutplate individually. Then had to install each cover and torque every fastener on them in prep for tank pressurization tests. Did that for 6 of the 18 months I was on the program.

My worst bite on the -16 was during an engine startup. Left side hydraulics puked a cloud of fluid, then a steady stream as the engine passed about 30%. I told my guy to shut down we were puking fluid, stepped back and grabbed some rags and took one step inboard of the wingtip and slid all the way to the side of the a/c. Smacked the gear door and tried to hang on but couldn"t. I hit the ground flat on my back from about 30" high, landing outboard of the #4 pylon. A 4 hour trip to the hospital in a neck brace and strapped to a backboard.....ugghhh The worst part about it was my boss, who is pretty deaf due to his AF service, trying to tell my wife what was going on, over a cell phone that is pretty hard to hear over and her on a phone at home that was cutting out....Who's on first?....

Pretty wild!

If you are up at the Academy, then you probably know a couple of the USAFA brothers.....old Philmont Scout Ranch joke..

There's a few floating around, a former -16 fixer was my govt. QAE, but he recently shipped out.

Never heard the ranch joke, but I'm sure if I go on "edodo" I can probably find something on it.