F-35 update: Pilot and software

The 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., schoolhouse for the F-35, is ready to graduate its first non-cadre student F-35 pilot. It's Marine Lt. Col. Roger Hardy, the first non-test pilot, non-initial cadre pilot to qualify in the fighter. (Source: Flightglobal, 07/11/12) Meanwhile, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter team has started to test fly the Lockheed Martin-built jet's Block 2A software. The test team has already started to undertake maturity flights for that software in order to release it to the F-35 training unit at Eglin. (Source: Flightglobal, 07/11/12)