F-35C test aircraft CF-03 makes the type's first arrested landing on a carrier, the USS Nimitz. (Photo: U.S. Navy)
Posted on 11/03/2014 6:49:41 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
The U.S. Navy conducted the first arrested landing of an F-35C Joint Strike Fighter carrier variant on November 3. Cmdr. Tony Wilson, a Navy test pilot, landed test aircraft CF-03 on the flight deck of the carrier USS Nimitz off the coast of San Diego after flying from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.
The first arrested landing came at the start of initial at-sea developmental testing of the F-35C, which is expected to last for two weeks. The carrier testing involves test aircraft CF-03 and CF-05, both fitted with a redesigned tail hook after problems with the initial design delayed carrier testing. This is the first of three at-sea test phases planned for the F-35C.
In May 2013, the Navy said it planned to declare initial operational capability of the carrier variant by February 2019. The F-35 Joint Program Office said the first arrested landing “reinforces Navy-industry partnership goals to deliver the operational aircraft to the fleet in 2018.”
“Today is a landmark event in the development of the F-35C,” said Wilson, who is attached to the Navy’s VX-23 Air Test and Evaluation Squadron based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. “It is the culmination of many years of hard work by a talented team of thousands. I'm very excited to see America’s newest aircraft on the flight deck of her oldest aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz.”
F-35C test aircraft CF-03 makes the type's first arrested landing on a carrier, the USS Nimitz. (Photo: U.S. Navy)
So, what wire did he catch?
Why does a VTOL have to make an arrested landing? What am I missing here?
The F-35C is the USN version. The F-35B is the STOVL version.
Acitve Duty ping.
That is one fine looking plane. Wish is worked.
My SIL works on the lift fan for the STOVL version.
It’s made by Rolls Royce here in Indy.
Still remember seeing a video of the first (or one of the first) flights of the F-14. Did not quite make the end of the runway on landing and the crew had to punch out. More than a few crashes due to crappy engines that had a tendency to stall at inopportune times.
These things get fixed. Fighters are not passenger cars.
Looks like a 3 wire trap
About damn time!
ping
You save a LOT of fuel NOT making a VTOL return.
fantastic pic, thanks
#2 maybe, but more likely the #3, which I also imagine they were targeting.
Or not.
Likely Shepard's prayer was recited a few times coming in.
All navy pilots up until now rely on following the meatball and maintaining a stable power/glideslope ratio.
I have no doubt they still do this but the visual stimulous has got to be unnerving. I wonder if that will cause a helmet fire where the pilot overcompensates? During the tests, that would likely manifest itself as pilot induced oscillations (PIOs) during the final stages of approach.
I bet he did it on an airstrip in the dessert many times.
Probably had a painted outline of a carrier deck and if he failed to catch a hook, no problem.
The Tokyo Raiders practiced take offs from a strip at Eglin Field with a Navy guy from nearby Pensacola teaching them how to do it in 500 feet.
Interestingly, most of the F-35s are now at Eglin.
the c version is the navy carrier version.
the b-version is the vtol version, for marines. they won’t be on carriers all the time, they replaced the harriers and marines use them on land in areas they can’t normally get a regular aircraft in and out of.
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