First UK ab initio Lightning II pilots

Lt Chris in the cockpit of an F-35B after his first flight. Crown Copyright THE UK’s first ab initio pilots have flown the F-35B, the Ministry of Defence announced on January 25. The two airmen, Flt Lt Liam and Lt Chris (full names withheld for security reasons), from the RAF and Royal Navy respectively, proceeded straight from flying training in the Hawk T2 to flying the Lightning II at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina. Speaking after his flight,