5 new F/A-22 Raptors land at base

miami.com ^

[iso]

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE -- (AP) -- Five more F/A-22 Raptors landed Friday at this Florida Panhandle base where Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force chief of staff, is among the first pilots being trained to fly the new stealth fighter.

The five Raptors arrived from the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. plant in Marietta, Ga., a day after all F/A-22s were cleared to resume flying for the first time since a Dec. 20 crash at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

The additional planes increased the number of Raptors at Tyndall to 18, more than half of the 33 now in the Air Force inventory. A 34th plane had been scheduled to arrive but its flight was postponed due to mechanical problems, said Capt. Susan A. Romano, a Tyndall spokeswoman.

Jumper is scheduled to make his final F/A-22 qualification flight here Wednesday.

The planes were grounded as a precaution after the Nellis crash. Safety and accident investigation boards have not disclosed a cause, but Air Force officials said they were confident the jets could be flown safely based on preliminary findings. The pilot suffered scrapes but was otherwise unharmed.

Eight F/A-22s are stationed at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and seven at Nellis for testing and evaluation. All pilot training is done at Tyndall. Langley Air Force Base, Va., is expected to receive the first operational Raptors this year.

[BIGLOOK]

Raptor Rapture Ping

[processing please hold]

Alas...no.

I get your point. The F-A-22 is grand.

[Raffus]

The F-16 is pretty cool too. Also one of my programs. ;) I had a plant tour. Way too cool!

[jch10]

I live right here near Tyndall AFB and the only Raptors I've seen are at the air show. They must train over the Gulf of Mexico.

[VaBthang4]

ping

[nuconvert]

Lol. Good One

[VaBthang4]

"Why is a general being trained to fly this plane, besides ego gratification? "

So that the guy in the bird does not know more about his capabilities than the General on the ground.

[null and void]

I love the A-10 too!

She's the daughter of one of our city councilmen...

[VaBthang4]

Yeah...IMHO the F16 is the baddest looking plane....running a close second would be any platform with US or Evil Jew insignia.

[ProudVet77]

Actually the F-22 is a stealth fighter. If you look at the pic of it's bottom you'll see the two bombay doors where it's weapons are carried. Even the 20MM cannon has a small flap to make it blend in. That is one of the F-22s most important characteristics. Without stealth an aircraft won't survive very long in the air battlefield of the future. The F-15 lights up radar like a Christmas tree.
The one lament I have is that the Navy won't have an air superiority fighter like the F-14 in the future.

[Cobra64]

Now, why'd did you have to do that? Now I have to save up 'til next Christmas.

I know you warned me... you summa beech!

[Quix]

Would be nice.

Hope so.

Not sure it's going to be based on these platforms, though.

We shall see. Looks like a beautiful bird.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Sexiest airplane (no longer in the air but you can walk up and touch one) has to be the SR 71 and its predecessors. We saw the M-21 and its drone, the D-21B at the Museum of flight in Seattle over Christmas. This airplane was designed in the late 1950s and had some of the first stealth technology.

[blogbat]

"At least we don't have a Commander-in-chief allowing missile, nuclear, satellite, etc. technologies to be more or less given to the Chicoms as we did a few years ago...at least, I don't think we do."

That is for sure ;)

[null and void]

I know. I was making a small joke about the "picture" in post #56...

[blogbat]

"Your paranoia is unwarranted. You don't need to feel less safe because someone knows where the F-22 is based. It doesn't matter."

General knowledge is one thing. Precise numbers and other logistical details, I have a problem with. Your intimation that that is somehow paranoia is I think unwarranted. I am a realist however and good habits are just that.

Just one of many lessons history teaches us.

[ProudVet77]

Sorry, I'm kinda 1/2 watching BG, fingers went into gear before engaging mind. :)

[null and void]

;^)

Like it's never happened to me...

[Cobra64]

When I was a kid back in the late 1950s, I liked the F86 because it was small and fast (as I was as a youngster). As a bomber, I was fond of the B-58 Hustler. The B-52 was impressive, but never stirred me up.

As I'm 55 years old though the B-52 has a different perspective, since still active for almost 60 years.

[processing please hold]

That baby will bring the pilot home with one wing and shot all to hell and back. I love the protection it gives the pilots.