Photo By Troy Lilly | U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen examine the bottom of an F-35C carrier variant during a...... read more read more
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Under a mid-fall afternoon sky, blue and cloudless with unlimited visibility, some 30 midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy’s Aerospace Engineering Department recently had a chance to see and hear what their naval aviation futures could look like.
Overhead, test aircraft roared across the clear expanse, some banking out over the bay, attracting the attention of the aero engineer firsties during their field trip to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron TWOTHREE (VX-23) here Nov. 9.
This outing was a rare escape from Annapolis for these students, their guide said. “This year it’s even more important because of lost opportunities,” said retired Navy Capt. Robert Niewoehner, who is a professor in the aerospace engineering department. He was the F/A-18E/F Chief Test Pilot at VX-23 from 1994-1998.
Their summer internships at the likes of VX-23 and the Test Pilot School (TPS) and some flying events were curtailed in light of Covid-19 restrictions, Niewoehner explained.
With a 3 p.m. sun casting long shadows of the midshipmen in their Navy working uniforms, they saw, touched and even crawled under for a closer look four test jets: an F-35C carrier variant (CV) of the Lightning II, an EA-18G Growler, an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and a T-45 Goshawk.
Academy grads who today are assigned as test pilots at VX-23 briefed the students about the aircraft, discussed their respective career paths that brought them to Naval Air Systems Command’s largest flight test organization, and offered nuggets of professional advice.
"The purpose of this visit is to expose Naval Academy midshipmen in the Aerospace Engineering Department to the test and evaluation career path,” said LT Zach "Fab" Fisher, VX-23 host for the visit. “A lot of us that graduated from the Naval Academy with a degree in Aerospace Engineering did so with the intentions of possibly becoming a test pilot or to fly jets.” VX-23's mission is to support the research, development, test & evaluation (RDT&E) of fixed wing tactical aircraft by providing aircraft and pilot assets, maintenance services, safety oversight and facility support for these efforts. In the nearby hangars of the F-35 Patuxent River Integrated Test Force (ITF), the mission is to effectively plan, coordinate and conduct safe, secure and efficient flight test to provide necessary and timely data to support program verification / certification and fleet operational requirements.
F-35 Lightning II prime contractor Lockheed Martin has produced more than 575 of the 5th Generation fighters, which combines advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.
As F-35 Joint Program Office officials and professionals throughout the fighter’s enterprise continue to exhibit its readiness for full rate production, the weapons system currently operates from more than 25 locations (bases and ships) around the world. There are almost 1,200 pilots and nearly 10,000 maintainers for the jet, which has logged more than 335,000 flight hours.
“It’s a marvel,” Midshipman First Class Rachel Purl said of the joint strike fighter just feet behind her. Seeing the jet is “a naval aviation dream” come true, she said.
The northern-California native said she spotted the Lightning II from the bus when the group pulled up to the hangar. An hour later she had peered in the cockpit, walked around the jet and she and her friend has “put our hands all over it. It’s incredible.”
In addition to admiring the jet, she appreciated engaging with the test pilots. It was “a privilege,” she said. “All the JOs we talked to were incredibly helpful with seeing what’s possible.” The junior officers were very reassuring, gave her a lot to think about, and gave her a “boost in motivation today to keep working hard … when you graduate,” she said.
A fellow midshipman also appreciated hearing from the aero – and at least one astronautics -- engineers-turned test pilots. “It’s inspiring to see someone could do this in about 10 years,” said Midshipman First Class Mitch Brinton.
“It’s a very sleek plane,” he said was his first impression. “The engineering that goes into it is pretty incredible … light years ahead of” other aircraft, he continued.
“If I could fly it, that would be a dream,” said the Denver, Colorado native who while still in high school earned his private pilot’s license in a commercial single-engine, high wing, fixed-wing aircraft.
To learn more about the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, visit www. https://www.jsf.mil.
About VX-23:
Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23) is the Naval Air Systems Command’s (NAVAIR's) largest flight test organization. The squadron's mission is to support the Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) of fixed wing tactical aircraft by providing aircraft and pilot assets, maintenance services, safety oversight and facility support for these efforts. Primary areas of support include flying qualities and performance evaluations, shipboard suitability, propulsion system testing, tactical aircraft mission system testing, ordnance compatibility and ballistic efforts, reliability and maintainability assessments, flight fidelity simulation and flight control software development. The Squadron also provides Government Flight Representatives, test monitoring, chase aircraft support, and facilities for contractor demonstration, validation and development work involving tactical aircraft and associated systems.
About F-35 Pax River ITF:
The ITF mission is to effectively plan, coordinate and conduct safe, secure and efficient flight test to provide necessary and timely data to support program verification / certification and fleet operational requirements.
| Date Taken: | 11.09.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 11.24.2020 11:29 |
| Story ID: | 383656 |
| Location: | NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 366 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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