Interview What's it like to fly an F-35 fighter jet? We interviewed the chief British test pilot about a uniquely British flying technique – and then had a play with a full co*ckpit simulator to find out for ourselves.
Squadron Leader Andy Edgell is the Royal Air Force's top test pilot for the F-35 flight trials programme. A former Harrier pilot with sea time on two of the UK's previous aircraft carriers, Her Majesty's Ships Ark Royal and Illustrious, as well as operational deployments to Kandahar, Afghanistan, he is now based at the US Navy's test base at Patuxent River. He spoke to The Register in London yesterday at an F-35 press event.
In his view the F-35 and the Harrier, despite broadly doing the same thing (landing vertically) are "almost incomparable" in flying terms: "The design principle of the F-35 is 'low effort' while the Harrier is a challenge to fly."
Andy explained: "The human brain has a finite capacity and we don't want to use that on flying... we want to concentrate on being an operator of sensors."
The theory behind the F-35's "sensor fusion" concept is that by putting some of the world's most advanced radars and other sensors on it, and then networking those with other F-35s, the unparalleled situational awareness this gives the pilots makes them a far more formidable fighting unit than other current frontline fighter jets.
But does the high level of automation leave you "vulnerable" to the aircraft's whims while the pilot pores over his screens, we wondered? "You are in charge, if you choose to use it. Additional automation is there too – height, speed, heading hold. If you need to be hands-on with the throttle and stick, that's available. If you had a dynamic flight, you can dial that down."
SRVL – a thoroughly British bit of innovation
Andy also talked about the "uniquely British" manoeuvre that the UK team at Pax River developed, the shipborne rolling vertical landing (SRVL). For a jet fighter like the Harrier or the F-35, the normal landing technique on an aircraft carrier is to fly over the designated spot, hover and gently set down. But, as Andy explained, this reduces the amount of what he described as "Bernoulli lift" generated by the aircraft's wings. With less lift available, you reduce the maximum landing weight (too heavy and you break the undercarriage during the thump of touchdown) – and therefore the pilot may have to jettison expensive missiles and fuel to bring the aircraft back within safe vertical landing limits.
Youtube Video of VAAC in action on an aircraft carrier
With the SRVL technique, however, the pilot combines the vertical landing and a traditional horizontal landing like you'd see at an airport. By doing this the amount of Bernoulli lift available is increased – and, in naval aviation terms, the number of unused missiles that can be brought home to fight again with is increased.
"It's a 35-knot overtaking speed at a seven-degree angle relative to the boat," Andy said. "You're literally coming down at the perfect speed and the perfect angle. This is British, utterly British," he enthused. "Everything we've done with the VAAC Harrier at places like Boscombe [Down, home of British military aviation research], stuff with modelling on how aircraft flies, it's brilliant."
"The VAAC Harrier developed this years ago, with landings on [French aircraft carrier] Charles de Gaulle and the principles behind it were invented by the British," said Andy. The VAAC (Vectored thrust Advanced Aircraft Control) system, developed over the 1980s and 1990s by the British aeronautical industry, was eventually incorporated in the production F-35B, as is being flown by the RAF, the Royal Navy, the US Marines and Italy.
That theme of automation also plays into the training for operating the F-35. According to both Andy and BAE Systems, the biggest sub-contractor on the F-35 project, around 3,000 hours of test flying have been completed on the full-motion simulator at BAE's Warton plant. Faith in the fidelity of the simulators is critical for the "flight" trials taking place in the UK, which includes both test flying and the training of landing signals officers (LSOs), who are F-35 pilots tasked with talking their comrades safely down to the deck. The simulators for both are linked, meaning the trainee pilot and trainee LSO can interact.
Andy praised the dedication of the BAE team working on the trials, joking: "Every time I see them I'll say, how's the marriage going?"
FAQs
Billie Flynn spent years as a pilot in the testing program for the F-35 stealth fighter jet. He said the aircraft was very easy to fly and compared operating it to playing a video game. The fighter jet, he said, is incredibly capable and changed the understanding of what's possible in aerial warfare.
How many F-35s does the US have right now? ›
The F-35 aircraft, with its advanced capabilities, represents a growing portion of DOD's tactical aviation fleet—with about 450 of the aircraft fielded. DOD plans to procure nearly 2,500 F-35s at an estimated life cycle cost of the program exceeding $1.7 trillion.
Is the F22 better than F-35? ›
Summary. The F-22 Raptor outperforms the F-35 Lightning II in speed and climb rate, making it a formidable interceptor. The F-35's versatility in armament surpasses the F-22, enabling it to serve various missions, including nuclear deterrence and air-to-ground strikes.
How much does an F-35 cost per flight hour? ›
One F-35 costs approximately $100,000 (Rs 8.03 crore) and the per-hour flight cost is around $40,000. The cost to operate an F-16's one-hour sortie is $26,000. Since 2018, the modernization has cost increased by $6.5 billion.
How much does a Navy F-35 pilot make? ›
As of Apr 22, 2024, the average annual pay for a Navy Fighter Pilot in the United States is $130,916 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $62.94 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,517/week or $10,909/month.
Why didn't they use F-35 in Top Gun: Maverick? ›
As for why they didn't film with F-35s: others have already mentioned that the F-35's single seat makes it impossible to put actors in the co*ckpit. Other issues are that the F-35 has a lower thrust-to-weight ratio than the F-18, so maneuvers wouldn't look quite as cool.
How many F-35s does Israel have now? ›
As of 13 November 2022, the Israeli Airforce has 36 F-35s in service, including the testbed stationed at the Flight Test Center at Tel Nof Airbase, and operates three squadrons at Nevatim Airbase – the 140th, 116th and 117th.
What is the most advanced fighter jet in the world? ›
This is the world's most advanced fighter jet, the F35 Lightning. Today I had the chance to get up close to this incredible aircraft. and I'm taking you along for the ride.
What is the nickname of the F-35? ›
In 2006, the F-35 was given the name "Lightning II" after the Lockheed P-38 Lightning of World War II. Some USAF pilots have nicknamed the aircraft "Panther" instead. The aircraft's software was developed as six releases, or Blocks, for SDD.
Which fighter jet is better than F-35? ›
Regarding stealth technology, the F-22 Raptors are considered the stealthiest fighter jets on the planet. The aircraft boasts an even reduced cross-radar section than that of the F-35s. Despite being loaded with state-of-the-art features, the F-35s were built for air-to-ground missions.
The F-35 has the most advanced sensor suite of any fighter in history, including the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Distributed Aperture System (DAS), Electro Optical Targeting System (EOTS) and advanced electronic warfare capabilities to locate/track enemy forces, jam radars and disrupt attacks.
Is the F-22 being retired? ›
F-22 Retirement in 2030 Unlikely as USAF Looks to Spend $7.8 Billion on It Before Then. The Air Force seems to be rethinking its plan to start retiring the F-22 around 2030, as its spending plans for the air dominance fighter go well beyond that date, according to the service's fiscal 2025 budget request.
Why is the F-35 so expensive to fly? ›
That longer projected life span is part of the reason the F-35′s total price tag will now top $2 trillion, GAO said — but it's not the only reason. Rising inflation is a major factor driving up the cost of flying the F-35, GAO said.
How far can an F-35 fly on a full tank? ›
4. It has range and mission persistence. The F-35C carries nearly 20,000 lbs of internal fuel and has a range of greater than 1,200 nm. The enables F-35C pilots to fly further and remain in a desired battlespace longer before refueling is necessary.
How much does it cost to run an F-16 for 1 hour? ›
The two main types of multi-role fighters in Air Force and Navy service are relatively affordable. The Air Force's fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcon multi-role fighters cost $26,927 an hour, largely for the same reasons as the A-10.
What is a criticism of the F-35? ›
A major criticism of the F-35 program is contractor Lockheed Martin's control over the intellectual property related to aircraft, the contractor's struggle with delivering aircraft on time, and the massive cost of the program.
What do pilots call the F-35? ›
In 2006, the F-35 was given the name "Lightning II" after the Lockheed P-38 Lightning of World War II. Some USAF pilots have nicknamed the aircraft "Panther" instead. The aircraft's software was developed as six releases, or Blocks, for SDD.
Is the F-35A bad dogfighter? ›
Yet, regardless of the aerodynamic advantage, the F-35 performed poorly. “The stealth fighter proved too sluggish to reliably defeat the F-16, even with the F-16 lugging extra fuel tanks,” War is Boring reported.
What an F-35 pilot sees? ›
F-35 pilots get X-ray vision and other magic powers. The F-35 helmet is an information-display device, showing targeting data, status of the aircraft systems, and visual and infrared views of the world outside the airplane. The blue circle on the helmet is its night-vision camera.
