2013-09-29 By Robbin Laird On September 4th Secretary Wynne visited the 33rd Fighter Wing for an update on the F-35 program as seen from the training facility. Ed Timperlake and I accompanied him and added some meetings of our own, notably with maintainers and USMC squadron leaders. https://www.sldinfo.com/secretary-wynne-visits-the-33rd-fighter-wing/ We have…
2013-09-28 Several hundred people gathered today in hangar 237 to witness the first F-35A Lightning II which arrived for depot level maintenance during a ceremony hosted by the Ogden Air Logistics Complex commander, Maj. Gen. H. Brent Baker Sr. The ceremony addressed Hill's key role in the depot repair and…
2013-09-26 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake During the visit of Secretary Wynne to the 33rd Fighter Wing, we accompanied him on the visit and added some meetings of our own. Among the most notable of those additional meetings was an opportunity to sit down with two USMC leaders in the…
2013-09-26 Although the F-35B is a new aircraft, and new skills are being learned, the USMC is clearly harvesting experience where relevant to shaping the combat approach of the new aircraft. In a discussion with a combat-hardened Marine who is a weapons loader for the Harrier, the shaping of the approach…
2013-09-25 One of the issues Secretary Wynne was briefed on and given a hands on look was Maintenance of Low Observable characteristics approach being shaped at the 33rd FW. USAF maintainers showed the Secretary how they were addressing the effort and rolling out the LO maintenance capability. The LO maintainers…
2013-09-23 By Ed Timperlake John Boyd in his lecture (which I sat through twice) had a sine qua non building block for his work: the F-86 versus Mig-15 exchange rate kills by his beloved F-86 in "MIG Ally. " The exchange rate was approximately 10 to 1. Lessons learned at…
2013-09-21 In our discussion in the ready room of VMFAT501with Lt. Col. Steve Gillette and Major Michael Rountree, Major Rountree discussed how the Harrier has been used the flexibility which the jet brings to MAGTF operations. SLD: The V of STOVL is really the important point. The flexibility of the…
2013-09-19 After his presentation to the leadership of the 33rd Fighter Wing, Secretary Wynne was asked to discuss the challenge of what is called concurrency. The answer by Wynne provided one of the best understandings of the reality of the approach taken in the modern aerospace industry. There would have concurrency…
