PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - F-35 Cancelled, then what ?
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Old 25th Apr 2013, 10:36
  #1983 (permalink)  
LowObservable
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
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ES - That's an interesting notion, but you may also find as you try to follow that route that there is a floor level in flying hours below which you may not go. True, the F-35 (like other modern fighters) is relatively simple to operate thanks to "carefree handling" or envelope protection, and subsystem automation.

However, it also has a complex sensor suite and has to flight-plan according to stealth considerations, and it is intended to cover a broad swath of missions from CAS to air defense. You can practice those in a simulator - but, ultimately, don't you risk a disconnect between the actual flying experience and the sim?

I heard a long presentation late last year about experience with the F-22 (after about six years of operations) and there was no mention of being able to reduce hours.
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