F-35A Instructor Pilots Qualify In Aerial Refueling | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.14.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.15.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.16.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-07.17.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.11.25

Fri, May 24, 2013

F-35A Instructor Pilots Qualify In Aerial Refueling

One Calls Flight 'Easiest Tanking Event In My Career'

The initial cadre of F-35A Lightning II instructor pilots qualified in aerial refueling last week, adding another capability for student pilot training at the 33rd Fighter Wing's F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin AFB in Florida. "Eleven pilots had flown 14 refueling missions across the boom with the help of a KC-135 Stratotanker based here all last week," said Col. Andrew Toth, the commander of the 33rd Fighter Squadron. "Prior to this, only test pilots had done so."

The pilots discovered refueling the F-35 was an easy process, given the stability of the jet in flight and the preparation they received flying aerial refueling missions during ground school with the high-fidelity F-35 full-mission simulator. Pilots have said there were times they forgot they were in a simulator, given its realistic feel amplified by a 360-degree view of the air and ground projected around the pilot.
 
"This was the easiest tanking event I've had in my career," said Toth, who besides spearheading efforts for three branches of service and internationals here is also an F-35 instructor pilot. "The aircraft is very stable and smooth, making it easier to connect with the boom than I had experienced with flying other weapons systems."
 
Toth said he foresees the new lieutenants, fresh out of initial pilot training, to have the same positive experience one day as well -- But for now, the seasoned operators and maintainers are carrying the load.
 
Laying in a pod in the belly of the KC-135, the operator maneuvering the boom to offload gas to formations of fighters chimed in with the same observations about the Lightning II and the pilots' performance. "He basically parked the aircraft 50-feet behind us at 310 knots," said Staff Sgt. Joe Parker with the 336th Air Refueling Squadron at March Air Reserve Base, CA.
 
Parker has refueled about 30 different aircraft, ranging from "F-16 (Fighting Falcon)s to C-5 (Galaxies) and everything in between," in his almost 10-year career. This includes the F-35s performing test missions at Edward Air Force Base, CA. "The F-35 is like a breath of fresh air when they come up to refuel because I know they are going to be an incredibly stable platform in the air refueling envelope," he said.
 
With the instructor pilots trained, the 58th Fighter Squadron has incorporated the aerial refueling capability into F-35A Student Pilot Class Number 4, which began training May 20, and is anticipated to be complete in approximately two months, Toth said. Students execute the flying curriculum in the latter month. Those F-35A pilots who have graduated will get top-off training to fly aerial refueling at their unit -- just like the test pilots who recently graduated from Eglin AFB and are assigned to Edwards AFB.
 
For the future, flying unit members at Eglin said they welcome the new capability because they can now train longer and in essence "knock out two training sorties," Toth said. "A formation can conduct air-to-air combat training, go to the tanker, get gas and conduct an air-to-air or air-to-ground training mission."
 
Pilots and other aircrew alike seem to be impressed with the expanded training events and the performance of the joint strike fighter. "It's always a privilege to work with any new airframe," Parker said. "I am fortunate enough to also be a part of F-35 flying."
 
ANN salutes Maj. Karen Roganov 33rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

(USAF image)

FMI: www.af.mil

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (07.15.25): Charted Visual Flight Procedure Approach

Charted Visual Flight Procedure Approach An approach conducted while operating on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan which authorizes the pilot of an aircraft to proceed >[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (07.15.25)

“When l became the Secretary of Defense, I committed to rebuild our military to match threats to capabilities. Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation, >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.15.25)

Aero Linx: Stearman Restorers Association Welcome to the Stearman Restorers Association. The Stearman Restorers Association is an independent “Not for Profit” 501C-3 Co>[...]

NTSB Final Report: Kjelsrud Gary Kitfox

Airplane Exhibited A Partial Loss Of Engine Power When It Was About Halfway Down The Runway Analysis: The pilot of the experimental amateur-built airplane was departing from his pr>[...]

NTSB Prelim: Cessna A150L

The Flight Path Was Consistent With Low-Altitude Maneuvering On June 18, 2025, about 0922 mountain standard time, a Cessna A150L airplane, N6436F, was substantially damaged when it>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC