A USAF F-35A assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Ariz., caught fire Friday morning while preparing to take off during an exercise at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. The pilot shut down the engine and performed an emergency egress, 56th FW spokesman Lt. Col. Matt Hasson said Monday. The fire, in the aft section of the aircraft, was extinguished quickly, according to a release. Eight airmen, including the pilot, were taken to the base medical center for evaluation, but were unharmed. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Seven F-35s from Luke deployed to Mountain Home on Sept. 10 for two weeks of training. The other six aircraft returned to Luke on Saturday and are continuing to fly, Hasson said.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
