February/March 2009

Second F-35B STOVL fighter achieves successful first flight
 
The second short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B Lightning II accomplished its first flight on Wednesday, 25th February, in Fort Worth, Texas. The aircraft, designated BF-2, will conduct flutter envelope expansion, air-refueling testing, high angle-of-attack testing, performance and propulsion testing, weapons testing, and radar-signature testing.
 
Updated F135 engine arrives on schedule
 
On 30th January, Pratt & Whitney delivered Flight Test Engine 06 on schedule to Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas, for installation into F-35 BF-1, a short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant. The on-time delivery and installation were critical to meet a March milestone to begin hover pit testing prior to airborne transitions to STOVL-mode flight. The testing is designed to demonstrate the F-35/F135 integrated flight and propulsion control system as well as the thrust produced by the shaft-driven lift fan propulsion system.
 
New GE Rolls-Royce engine comes to life
 
On Jan. 30, the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team began testing its first production-configuration F136 engine a month ahead of contract schedule at GE’s test facility in Evendale, Ohio. Prototype versions of the F136 have already accumulated more than 800 hours of testing, while more F136 engines will begin testing later in the year.
 
F-35 opens weapons-bay doors in flight
 
F-35 AA-1, a conventional takeoff and landing variant, opened the doors to its twin weapons bays during the aircraft’s 70th test flight on 24th February. The successful test marked the first airborne cycling of the doors. This paves the way for qualifying the great variety of weapons that will be carried out on the F-35.