This young man, Capt. Daniel Haley is a representative of our future. As I pilot for over 47 years, I'm sure this excellent representative of our best, can fly rings around me, while he's sleeping. However, the armed services need to spend more time training these awesome people how to speak to the public without underestimating the truth of equipment our hard tax dollars have purchased. The airplane doesn't fly "pretty good", it flies with awesome capabilities. The airplane doesn't climb "really well", it climbs like a rocket ship. It doesn't "get up and go really well", it flies like a flying saucer. It's not a "really good jet", it's a piece of fine jewelry that can cut through glass. My point? We train these expert people to be the best. And they are the best. But when we send them out to places like "Fun and Sun", why can't we give them some training on how to express themselves so they don't sound so much as scientists as they should sound like barnstormers of yesteryear. Come on Gentlemen, train your pilots to express the awesomeness of their aircraft. Give them a few hours of publicity training. After all, the whole world watches these videos. JMHO DPA
You would think the military would eventually learn that trying to design an aircraft to do everything, ends up with an aircraft that can do everything, but doesn't do any of them well. They could have designed 3 much simpler dedicated roll aircraft for less money and better results. The F35 is an amazing airplane and it's helmet/synthetic tactical display is incredible, but it can't compete with true twin engine high altitude air superiority fighters, doesn't have the loiter time to be a good ground support bomber, and can't carry enough bombs to be a good strike bomber.
Nothing beats the day to day cost of maintaining the old legacy fleet. People seem so surprised and angry about the tax-payers money going into this new F-35. Well this is small change compared to what the air force is flying and maintaining now.
he didnt seem all that stoked to be talking about it.....but, then again, he's probably annoyed with all the 'i hear its trash' comments im sure he gets, so i would likely be annoyed as well. haha
