Photo By Staff Sgt. Javier Alvarez | Air Force Lt. Col. Brandon Tellez, 525th Fighter Squadron commander and F-22 Raptor...... read more read more
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A Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson pilot reached 1,000 flying hours in an F-22 Raptor, at JBER, Alaska, June 22, 2016.
Air Force Lt. Col. Brandon Tellez, 525th Fighter Squadron commander and F-22 pilot, departed for his milestone flight at approximately 9:09 a.m. – and landed at 10:30 a.m.
Tellez has been a fighter pilot for 15 years, however, the achievement comes after nine years flying the F-22, he said.
Tellez is the 23rd pilot to reach 1,000 flying hours in a Raptor, said John Newsom, 3rd Wing F-22 contract site manager.
If taken consecutively, Tellez would have spent to more than 41 and-a-half days in the aircraft.
Completing 1,000 hours in a fighter jet is significant because it takes so long, Tellez said. Sorties in the fighter are typically one-to-two hours.
The sky was Air Force blue; an appropriate backdrop as the day’s events unfolded.
Tellez’s countenance was of a person overjoyed – having realized an achievement few others have been able to do.
“It’s a tremendous day to fly in Alaska,” Tellez said, after exiting his aircraft.
Tellez also recognized maintenance crews and others who have helped him reach this milestone.
“It marks a tremendous amount of effort to put me in this position,” Tellez said. “The opportunity to fly this jet as long as I have is a tremendous honor. It is a privilege every single day and a testament to all the hard work our maintenance puts in to give me the opportunity.”
Tellez was greeted by friends, coworkers, and the 525th FS mascot, following his flight.
A plaque and patch, only given to pilots who reach the 1,000-hour milestone, was presented in the 525th FS heritage room by representatives from Boeing and Lockheed-Martin.
“You’re never wrong to put yourself in a position where you have opportunity,” Tellez said, reflecting on the day’s accomplishment. “... It’s interesting to think, in the 1,000 hours I have put in the cockpit, there have been upwards of 10,000 [hours] of hard work [by others] to put that cockpit around me.”
| Date Taken: | 06.28.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.28.2016 14:27 |
| Story ID: | 202660 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 153 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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