Lt. Col. Michael Means, who has accumulated the second most flight hours of any pilot in the B-2 stealth bomber, is retiring from the Air Force after 23 years of service, according to a release. Means, chief of safety with the Missouri Air National Guard’s 131st Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Mo., has logged 1,765.8 hours in the B-2 over 12 years, according to a June 5 base release. For the first eight of those 12 years, he was on active duty with the base’s 509th BW. “There are only four pilots who have ever reached 1,500 B-2 hours, none of whom is still flying the B-2,” said Lt. Col. Michael Pyburn, 131st Operations Group commander.”To say that I’ve flown one of the world’s premier aircraft is exciting,” said Means, who began his career flying B-52s and has amassed 4,466 total flying hours in various aircraft, according to the release. (Whiteman report by SSgt. Sean Navarro)
Competitors Not Picked for CCA Look Forward to Increment 2
April 25, 2024
While none of the major aircraft contractors were selected to develop the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, all three say they are seeking further autonomous aircraft work for the Navy, foreign partners, or in the classified arena, and maybe future versions of the CCA itself.