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Utah governor gets pilot's view of F-35

  • Published
  • By Bryan Magaña
  • 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  Gov. Gary Herbert had a chance to "fly" the F-35 Lightning II at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City Oct. 7. During his time in the cockpit, the governor got a feel for the fifth-generation fighter, which arrived at Hill Air Force Base last month.

The university is hosting the Lockheed Martin F-35 cockpit demonstrator this week to help celebrate the ‪‎F-35 arrival at Hill's active-duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing. Representatives from Lockheed Martin, based in Fort Worth, Texas, guided Herbert through the flying simulator and explained some of the aircraft's high-tech capabilities. Engineering students, faculty, and the university dean also got to try their hands at the F-35.

Hill AFB will eventually be home to 72 of the Air Force's newest fighter jet, and has already received three combat-coded aircraft. Reservists in the 419th FW are supporting their active-duty counterparts in reaching initial operational capability, or IOC, by late 2016.