Aeronautical Systems Center officials at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, on Tuesday issued the military flight release that will allow the F-35A strike fighter to begin initial operations at Eglin AFB, Fla., according to a Wright-Patt release. “The Air Force, [F-35] program office, and other stakeholders have painstakingly followed established risk-acceptance and -mitigation processes to ensure the F-35A is ready,” said Gen. Donald Hoffman, head of Air Force Materiel Command that oversees ASC. Hoffman added, “This is an important step for the F-35A.” Eglin is the site of the initial joint F-35 schoolhouse. With the clearance, qualified pilots will be able to conduct “unmonitored flights” with F-35As for purposes like increasing pilot and maintainer familiarity with the aircraft and exercising the logistics infrastructure, states the release. These initial F-35A flights “will be limited, scripted, [and] conducted within the restrictions and stipulations of the MFR,” it states. (See also Tentative Steps at Eglin.)
Planning an Air Show Is Hard. At Andrews, It’s Even Harder
Sept. 17, 2025
Joint Base Andrews opened its flightline this month to thousands of civilians, exposing a normally restricted airbase that regularly hosts the president and foreign dignitaries to a curious public eager to see current and historic military aircraft up close and in action.
