AF-1, an F-35A test aircraft at Edwards AFB, Calif., recently flew its final mission testing for clear wing flutter, announced prime contractor Lockheed Martin. This testing, conducted over the course of three years, was meant to ensure that the aircraft’s structure can withstand various aerodynamic loads, helping to certify its design, according to the company’s Feb. 11 release. “The testing demonstrated the F-35 is clear of flutter, at speeds up to 1.6 Mach and 700 knots with weapon bay doors open or closed,” states the release. The data collected prove that the F-35A’s flight dynamics maintain “a large margin between its designed airspeed and airspeeds where possible flutter could occur,” said the company.
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.
