F-35A Lightning II Completes High Angle Of Attack Tests
Lockheed Martin says the latest in a series of F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) high angle of attack (AOA) testing is complete. According to Lockheed, the testing accomplished high AOA beyond both the positive and negative maximum command limits, including intentionally putting the aircraft out of control in several configurations.
The first night flight of the Lockheed Martin F-35 program was completed 18 January 2012 at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The aircraft was flown by Lockheed Martin Test Pilot Mark Ward. It was identified as AF-6, an F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant. Lockheed says the test flight began at 5:05 p.m. PST and ended with a landing after sunset at 6:22 p.m. F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter First Night Flight Picture courtesy Lockheed Martin.
This included initially flying in the stealth clean wing configuration, said Lockheed. It was followed by testing with external air-to-air pylons and missiles, which in turn was followed by tests with open weapon bay doors. The F-35A began edge-of-the-envelope high AOA testing in the Fall 2012. According to Lockheed, recovery from out of control flight has been 100 percent successful without the use of the spin recovery chute during this high AOA series of flight tests.
With afterburner glowing a stealthy F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft destined for Operational Test at Nellis AFB, Nevada, completes a check flight from the Fort Worth, Texas, F-35 factory on 15 October 2012. F-35A Lightning II JSF Flight Test Afterburner Picture courtesy of Lockheed Martin.
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