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 The F-22 Raptor flight test program surpassed 1,000 hours of flying on 18 April when Boeing test pilot Chuck Killberg guided Raptor 4003 over the test range at the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, California. This third F-22 delivered to the F-22 Combined Test Force at Edwards is dedicated to testing the Raptor’s structural capability as part of the flight envelope expansion program.
“This significant achievement, and the many flight test hours to come, are a real indicator of just how thoroughly we are testing the Raptor—a direct result of the hard work, dedication, and professionalism of the integrated government and contractor team,” said Col. Chris Seat, F-22 CTF director. Since 1998, flight test activity at the CTF has centered on flight sciences, such as flying qualities, structures, utilities and systems, propulsion, and performance. With this latest avionics flight test aircraft, the avionics developmental testing will increase the pace of the CTF’s flight test activity. (The F-22 program had accumulated over 1,200 hours by early July 2001.)
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