British pilot is first to test F-35B ski-jump launch

Washington – The launch took place at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, on June 19, 2015, from a land based ski jump and marks the start of an initial testing phase expected to last two weeks. The trials demonstrate the aircraft’s ability to take off safely and effectively from a ski-jump ramp similar to that which will be used on the UK’s new aircraft carrier. Ski-jump ramps provide the aircraft with an upward flight path meaning the aircraft can take off from the available distance with a greater payload, which means more weapons.

 

BAE Systems test pilot Pete Wilson said: “It’s always exciting when you get to do something in aviation for the first time. We spend literally years planning these ‘firsts’, with hundreds of hours in the simulator as the event gets close, but even with all the preparation the test team remains focused on the potential that something unexpected might happen. As is usually the case, the jet performed as expected and it was a real pleasure.”

 

BAE Systems plays a key role in the design, development and manufacture of both the aircraft and the aircraft carrier, and also leads the work to ensure that both are integrated seamlessly for the UK customer. These recent trials continue to inform the F-35 program and the BAE Systems engineers involved in it on both sides of the Atlantic. That includes BAE Systems flight test engineers based in the U.S. and engineers in Lancashire helping to develop and test the latest technologies for the aircraft.  

 

In Warton, Lancashire, UK, the data from the flight trials will be used to further improve the models used in a unique simulation facility. Using the latest cutting edge technologies, engineers have developed a simulator that allowed pilots and engineers to fly the F-35 from the deck of the Queen Elizabeth carrier before either are available. This facility remains at the heart of developing a carrier strike capability for the UK.

 

Globally, some 3,000 BAE Systems people work on the F-35 program. From the UK, BAE Systems is responsible for the production of each and every rear fuselage and tails set. Along with manufacturing aircrafts sets for each of the three variants, the UK business produces carrier wing tips for the carrier variant and nozzle bay doors for the short take off and vertical landing variant. The Company also plays a key role in flight test, vehicle and mission systems, life support system and prognostics health management integration. BAE Systems Inc. in the US adds further key capabilities to the F-35 portfolio in the areas of electronic warfare, advance apertures, advanced counter-measure systems, vehicle management, and active inceptor systems.

 

The F-35B is designed to operate to and from aircraft carriers which means being able to operate from very short runways. Although U.S. ships have flat decks, British and Italian aircraft carriers that are planning to operate F-35B incorporate an upward sloped ramp at the end of the runway, which is right at the bow of the ship. The term “ski jump” has been adopted over the years because it invokes a feeling of leaping into the air.