It's a different animal.
Both to fly, so performance wise,
and how she handles, she's completely different.
Chalk and cheese to the Harrier.
But not only that, it's what the F-35 can do,
what it sees, what it knows, what it tells you.
You, sort of, can't compare it to any other aircraft,
certainly, that I've flown before.
Very, very impressive capability.
There are three variants of the F-35
Andy Edgell joined the RAF in 2002 and trained as a pilot. He flew Harrier aircraft in support of ground forces in Afghanistan before training as a test pilot in the United States. On completion of test pilot training he was posted to the F-35 Lightning II, where he contributed to various aspects of the aircraft’s development, including participation in the first F-35 deck landing trials on the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.
| Role Test Pilot |
The Harrier goes against everything you've been taught about flying
Andy EdgellGet down low, make some noise and let the enemy know you're there
Andy EdgellIt took me four years to master the Harrier
Andy EdgellWe currently have two people with experience of flying onto our carriers
Andy EdgellThere's a lot of bad press for the F-35
Andy EdgellThe troops on the ground are very brave guys
Andy EdgellI worry about dropping the helmet
Andy EdgellYou can't compare the F-35 to any other aircraft
Andy EdgellEveryone thinks Harrier pilots are arrogant
Andy EdgellThe boots were redesigned specifically for Harrier pilots
Andy Edgell
