- Start
- Dec 15, 200690% CONFIDENCEfrom the source
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Makes Its First Flight
- Lockheed Martin said on 15 December 2006 that its F-35 Lightning II had completed its first flight at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, Texas[1][4]
- F-35 chief pilot Jon Beesley flew the first F-35A, designated AA-1; it took off at 12:44 p.m. CST, reached 15,000 feet at 225 knots and landed at 1:19 p.m.[2][3]
- Beesley said the F-35A "handled well, better than the simulator" and compared it to the F-22 Raptor[2]
- A minor calibration problem, where two sensors disagreed, led test protocol to bring the aircraft back early[2]
- Lockheed described the F-35 as an all-new family of supersonic stealth fighters to replace A-10s, F-16s, F/A-18s and Harriers, in a program involving 11 countries and about 20,000 people[1]
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References 483% CONFIDENCEOverall confidence: 83%How well the pin's source and references back up its dates.Weighted average of how firmly 4 references, the source included, support the pin's start and end times; a reference counts half as much for every 180 days older than the newestShow all pins at 75% confidence or better
The first entry is always the pin's source. Overall confidence is a weighted average of how firmly each reference supports the start and end times used above; a reference counts half as much for every 180 days older than the newest.
- [1]90%news.lockheedmartin.com/2006-12-15-New-Stealth-Fighter-Flies-for-First-Time-News-Conference-Satellite-Feed-Todaynews.lockheedmartin.com· Posted Oct 4, 2026· Starts Dec 15, 2006 ✓· 33% of score
Lockheed Martin's own release of 15 December 2006 says the F-35 "completed its first flight moments ago" in Fort Worth; This Day in Aviation, FlightGlobal[4] (15 December 2006) and Wikipedia[3] give the same day.
- [2]80%15 December 2006 - This Day in Aviationthisdayinaviation.com· Added Oct 4, 2026· 33% of score
Flight times, altitude, Beesley quotes (opened).[1]
- [3]80%Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org· Added Oct 4, 2026· 33% of score
AA-1 "first flew on 15 December 2006 with chief test pilot Jon S. Beesley" (opened).[1]
- [4]80%PICTURES: F-35 Lightning II first flight - FlightGlobalflightglobal.com· Published Dec 15, 2006· 0% of score
Dated 15 December 2006 (opened).[1]
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