The first production F-35 was flown from the manufacturing plant in Ft. Worth to Edwards AFB on May 10th. This marked the delivery of the first F-35 into the U.S. Air Force with eight more on the way.
Eventually, the Air Force will be accepting 1,763 of these new fighter jets, and probably as many for the Navy and Marine squadrons.
That’s a LOT of new airplanes, and the services will need a lot of pilots to fly them.
This is the best news that you can get as an Afterburner Club member, it’s the kind that really fires me up to tell you about, knowing that the newest and most advanced fighters in the newly modernized U.S. military will be manned by the best of the brightest of your generation.
The kind that takes action by signing up on the Afterburner Club and then continues to implement the strategies provided so that in just a few short years, you will be in the service of your dreams flying the jet of your choice.
Is the F-35 the jet of your choice? Not necessarily. You may prefer a more conventional, tried and true plane that you know you will be able to go in and get the job done.
Although the F-35 is planned to eventually replace airplanes like the F-16, F/A-18, and the A-10, it will still be a good long while before that happens. If that’s the case for you, then the arrival of the F-35’s is still great news for you.
It means there will be that many more slots open for the jets that you DO want to fly.
If you haven’t already signed on for the Afterburner Club, now is a great time to do it. By the time you’re ready to submit your package to the Air Force, Navy, or Marine Corps, you’ll have an edge on your competition that will insure that that you can fly the jet of your dreams.
What is your opinion of the F-35? Is that the jet you would choose if offered, or do you prefer something more conventional? Why?
Victoria says
Is it my choice? YES! For the Marine Corps though 🙂
Will says
Currently competing for a slot through AFROTC.
My choice is anything with an F in front of it and a cockpit for me.
I’d love to fly this bad boy!
ThxEd :) says
Hi Ed 🙂
I hope it takes take the time for the F-35 to arrive so I will get the chance to fly this amazing creation
It is my choice for the Air Force 🙂
but I have to work super hard to get to that position 🙂
John says
I think the F-22 is better for the multi role position. The U.S. should have made companies to make many varients of teh F-22. Also it has two engines, and we all know that an engine shorts out, so why have a single engine when you can just go out? It’s a fighter and has stealth.Not saying the F-35 dosent, but the F-22 is more expensive and the engines 5* better.
Jason says
I’d rather fly an F15 but if I get assigned to an F35 I’ll still be extremely happy haha. 🙂
wowy says
Yes it is my choice 🙂
cuz I want to fly the newest air craft when I become fighter pilot 🙂
Bosch says
I’d prefer a more tried and legendary fighter like the F-16 or if not, then the F-22. F-16s are my favorite, even though I usually like new gen stuff, though 😀
Kyle says
The F-35 is the best! no doubt! I want this plane sooooo badly!
John says
Not the best,maybe to you, but check your facts. It hasent proved anything so far.
Andrew says
In my opinion, the F-35 might be a nice plane to fly sometime later on in my aviation career, yet for the moment, I would be just fine with an older, more conventional fighter like the F-15 or F/A-18, for various reasons. The F-35s avionics and other electronic systems are certainly impressive (e.g. the possibility of jamming enemy missiles with radiation from the AN/APG-81 AESA radar), but this strength could also be a weakness. It is my belief that the F-35, in its current design, is too heavily reliant on the latest generation digital avionics (e.g. the touch-screen MFD and JHMCS). It does not even have a HUD, let alone analog gauges. At least legacy fighters have those. In fact, the Super Hornet has all of the above. Personally, based on a number of factors (e.g. the 2008 B-2 crash in Guam due to moisture in the flight control system), I would prefer to fly something that would not fall out of the sky if is was hit by anything from a single 7.62mm round to a stray lighting bolt. Case and point: the A-10 and the F-15. The A-10 of course, as many of us surely know, can sustain massive damage and still fly back to safety. After all, apart from providing Close Air Support and destroying enemy tanks, that is what it was designed for. I have seen pictures of A-10s that were hit by SAMs and managed to limp back to base. And then there is the case of the Israeli F-15 that flew back to base after loosing a wing (and a lot of fuel) in a mid-air collision with another fighter. I have considered the Navy, with the goal in mind being the F/A-18E/F or E/A-18G. I am also looking at some Air National Guard squadrons that fly A-10s, F-15s, F-16s, and F-22s. Ultimately, I am just fine with any of these fighters, including the F-35 upon its service entry.
Mason says
I’d rather fly an F-22. They are great jets and they are the ones that got me interested in flying in the first place. Also they were built almost completely for air to air combat while the F-35 is built for air to air and air to ground. I prefer air to air.
Ed Rush says
Some really go thoughts here…keep up the good work guys.
I enjoyed flying the A-4 because it was a bit legendary and “old school.”
Then the F-18 was pretty state of the art.
You’ll definitely learn some skills in older planes that you won’t in the F-22 or F-35.
but any way you shake it, those planes are going to be a BLAST to fly!
Sebastian says
I would wanna fly the A-10 or the F-16. Then after they have fixed all the bugs and i can trust the airframe i would wanna fly the F-35, plus ive always wanted to be a ground attack pilot