GREAT DAY TO FLY; F-22 IS STAR OF WEEKEND AIR SHOW.Byline: John Sanders John Sanders is the name of
More than 35,000 people watched as the U.S. Air Force's newest fighter jet streaked overhead in its first performance for the public Saturday. The F-22 Raptor “F-22” redirects here. For other uses, see F-22 (disambiguation). The F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation American fighter aircraft that utilizes fourth-generation stealth technology. , which last week survived an attempt in Congress to cut its funding and delay production, flew over the Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. flight line, but did not perform any aerial tricks, which disappointed some spectators. ``It was interesting, but I wish they would have had more of a demonstration, said Dave Kreel, who was visiting the show from his home in Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. . ``This is something that people want to see. I know that they are trying to protect some of the secrets, but it is on display.'' The multimillion-dollar F-22's flight was one of the highlights of the two-day air show, which continues today. Expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors over both days, the show commemorated the 50th anniversary of the naming of the base for pilot Glen Edwards Glen Edwards may refer to:
Present on Saturday were some 50 relatives of Edwards, including a brother, two sisters and two nephews whom the bachelor pilot helped put through college. ``He was kind of a modest man, but he would have been proud. He probably wouldn't have admitted it, but he couldn't help but be impressed,'' said nephew Dale Edwards. ``I think it (the show) is great. I've been to Edwards before, and every time I come here I'm more impressed with it,'' Dale Edwards said. ``This is something that nobody would want to miss.'' Glen Edwards was a Canadian-born Californian who earned decorations while flying light bombers for the U.S. Army Air Force over North Africa and Sicily during World War II. He was part of a new breed of test pilots. While the famous Chuck Yeager  This page is currently protected from editing until disputes have been resolved. never went to college, Glen Edwards held a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley (body, education) University of California at Berkeley - (UCB)See also Berzerkley, BSD. http://berkeley.edu/. Note to British and Commonwealth readers: that's /berk'lee/, not /bark'lee/ as in British Received Pronunciation. and a master's degree master's degree n. An academic degree conferred by a college or university upon those who complete at least one year of prescribed study beyond the bachelor's degree. Noun 1. in aeronautical engineering from Princeton. Edwards was piloting the six-engine YB-49 on a test flight northwest of the base, then called Muroc, when the plane went out of control and broke apart in the sky. Edwards and four other men died. Glen Edwards had called the Flying Wing ``the darndest airplane I've ever tried to do anything with. Quite uncontrollable at times.'' The Air Force canceled the program not long afterward. The F-22 that was the star of Saturday's show is intended to replace the F-15 Eagle, which first flew in the 1970s. Stealthy stealth·y adj. stealth·i·er, stealth·i·est Marked by or acting with quiet, caution, and secrecy intended to avoid notice. See Synonyms at secret. and able to cruise at faster than the speed of sound without using fuel-guzzling afterburners, the F-22 would protect bombers, attack jets and ground troops by clearing the skies of enemy fighters. The jet, produced by Lockheed Martin in Georgia, just survived a bruising attack by congressmen who say the Pentagon cannot afford the F-22 as well as the proposed joint strike fighter and the Navy's new F-18E/F E/F Educator/Facilitator Super Hornet hornet: see wasp. . One other highlight of the day was a high-altitude 2,000-mph pass by an SR-71 Blackbird, a retired Air Force spy plane now used by NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. for high-speed research. Today the Blackbird will make its last flight for at least two years as it enters a testing hiatus. In between the flying demonstrations, spectators wandered around the base flight line, getting up-close views of military planes dating back to P-51 fighters of World War II. ``This is one of the best air shows around, because you get to see so much,'' said Dennis Brown, who has been attending air shows for 15 years. ``This is different from most of the other shows,'' he said. Saturday's show closed with high-speed, close-quarters maneuvers by the Air Force Thunderbirds precision flying team. The Thunderbirds close today's show as well. CAPTION(S): 4 photos, box Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color in AV edition) A Pitt's stunt plane, above, performs the show at Edwards Air Force Base Saturday as Hannah Olsen, 5, of Palmdale gets a view of the tarmac from the window of a Marine CH-53E helicopter. (3 -- ran in AV edition only) A visitor to the Edwards Air Force Base air show takes a break under the nose of the 747 used to transport the space shuttle. (4 -- ran in AV edition only) Air show visitors who toured a NASA 747 exit the craft as an aerobatic plane performs overhead on Saturday. David R. Crane/Staff Photographer Box: (ran in AV edition only) Air show schedule |
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