Plane AA-1 Will Fly To Base Later This Year For More Tests
A pilot from Edwards Air Force Base, CA became the first Air
Force and government test pilot to fly the F-35 Lightning II during
a test sortie at the Lockheed Martin facility Wednesday at Naval
Air Station/Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.

Lt. Col. James Kromberg, the director of operations for the
461st Flight Test Squadron, flew the F-35, numbered AA-1, which is
currently flying envelope expansion, flying qualities evaluations,
subsystems testing and initial systems assessments at Fort Worth.
The test flight consisted of the takeoff, handling qualities
maneuvers, engine throttle transients, formation maneuvers with an
F-16 Fighting Falcon and the landing.
After the flight, Colonel Kromberg said the F-35 flew "very
well."
"The aircraft was responsive across all flight regimes,"
Kromberg noted. "The engine thrust response was excellent --
accelerating very quickly. The aircraft was very stable during
formation flight."
The colonel admitted he was very excited to fly the F-35. "I
have been smiling since arriving at the aircraft this morning and
haven't stopped."
Before the flight, the test team briefed Kromberg covering all
test maneuvers, safety of flight requirements and potential
emergency procedures. Prior to flying the F-35, Colonel Kromberg
received training at Fort Worth in the aircraft simulator, control
room crew resource management and emergency procedures. He's been a
part of the test team since September 2005.

Aside from the training, Colonel Kromberg said he was involved
with helping draft the F-35's initial flight manual, test plans and
aircrew training procedures. He has more than 3,200 flight hours
experience flying various aircraft including the F-16, F-15 Eagle,
T-38 Talon and AV-8B Harrier.
Before joining the Air Force in 2003, Colonel Kromberg was a
Marine officer from 1987 to 2003. During that time, he attended
Naval Flight Training, served in three AV-8B Harrier squadrons as
both a maintenance and operations officer, attended the Air Force
Test Pilot School and served as the lead AV-8B operational test
director. Before his current stint at the 461st FLTS, Colonel
Kromberg served as the Test Pilot School assistant operations
officer and plans and programs director.
As a former Marine with AV-8B experience and a graduate of both
the Marine's weapons school and Air Force's TPS, he is uniquely
qualified to be the first military pilot on this joint program,
said Col. Arnie Bunch, the 412th Test Wing commander.

"As the Edwards Integrated Test Force director of operations, he
is the military pilot most closely associated with tests of AA-1,"
Colonel Bunch said. "He has participated in simulator tests, flight
control development and cockpit design of the JSF for the last two
years."
Because the F-35 is in the development stages, only Test Pilot
School graduates can fly the aircraft first, Colonel Bunch said.
The initial pilot cadre -- contractor and military -- are chosen
for their fighter aircraft backgrounds, extensive test experience
and experience in the JSF program.
There are advantages to having both contractors and military
testers fly test missions, Colonel Bunch said.
"Contractor pilots typically are assigned to the same program
for many years and provide continuity," Colonel Bunch said.
"Military pilots bring more recent operational experience and
warfighters' perspective."
Kromberg said he was appreciative of this opportunity to fly the
F-35.
"Though I am the first government pilot, this flight is really
just a continuation of the ongoing successful test effort the
contractor, government and partner countries take part in each
day," he said. "I am very humbled at this opportunity to represent
the Air Force as the first government F-35 pilot."

The F-35 is scheduled to arrive at Edwards AFB for further
flight tests in the spring.
(Aero-News salutes Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes, 95th
Air Base Wing Public Affairs)