Pilot: Raptor rules the sky passing tests flawlessly
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press on Saturday, February 21, 2004.
By ALLISON GATLIN
Valley Press Staff Writer
 
 

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LANCASTER - The most advanced and sophisticated fighter ever created is proceeding on schedule, passing its test program with flying colors.
"The F/A-22 is without question a marvelous airplane," said Lockheed Martin test pilot John Fergione.

Fergione briefed attendees at the Antelope Valley Board of Trade's Business Outlook Conference Friday on the F/A-22 Raptor, the latest member of the Air Force arsenal.

The aircraft's main attributes - the ability to fly supersonic without using afterburners, stealth, extreme agility and advanced avionics - are nothing new, Fergione said. What is different is to have them all in one package.

"The F/A-22 is the first plane ever built that does all of these," he said.

The eight Air Force operational test pilots putting the fighter through its paces at Edwards Air Force Base regularly face six aggressor aircraft with two Raptors, winning handily in the simulated engagements, he said.

"Their performance tells the tale; the Raptor really does rule the skies," Fergione said. "We are so far from a fair fight it is incredible."

In developing the F/A-22, Lockheed Martin built upon the knowledge of stealth technology it gained with the F-117 stealth fighter.

"I like to call it second-generation stealth," Fergione said.

The capability to elude enemy radar has impressed the operational test pilots that have been testing the aircraft at Edwards AFB.

Although the aircraft has had difficulties with the sophisticated avionics software, those bugs have been worked out in the last year, Fergione said.

He flew with the latest software himself earlier this week and it performed "just about flawlessly. The avionics suite is simplicity personified." The program itself is healthy and on track to meet the operational deadline, with solid support from the Air Force and Congress, Fergione said. So far, 25 of the aircraft have been built, with 19 more planned for production or modification this year.
 

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