Flying Lockheed’s F-22 Rapter Simulator

Flying Lockheed’s F-22 Rapter Simulator

Nov 05

Flying Lockheed’s F-22 Raptor Simulator

I recently had the distinct privilege and JOY of flying Lockheed’s new F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet. To say it was exhilarating is a gross understatement!

You first step into the cockpit and sit right in the pilot’s seat. Then you notice that there is the huge screen in front of you that will project the image of where you are flying, as if you were actually up in the air! I started at 40,000 feet, at 1.5 times the speed of sound, and that alone scared the puddin’ out of me! They call this phenomenon “Super Cruise”!

The world of clouds, mountains, rivers, cities, terrain, etc. is all laid out below, just as if you were actually flying this beast. Next, you get a radar warning that you have four enemy MIGS headed directly towards you at a closure speed of over 2,000 mph! I can’t hardly get my hands around the concept of going 120 mph in my car!

Well, this jet automatically “locked-up” all four MIGS, with the pressing of a button, decided which internal missiles it would shoot (and in what order), and then I calmly pulled the trigger four times and away sped these missiles! In a second or two (so it seemed!), there were four tiny little white “poofs” of smoke way, way off in the distance, and the four MIGS were gone!

I then pushed up the speed and in another second or two, I was passing four white parachutes!! The detail of thought that has gone into making this simulator seem as real as possible is unbelievable!

I then returned to base and calmly landed this miraculous, marvelous machine. I actually had three good lands as I bounced down the runaway! And the most amazing part was that no one, and I mean no one ever knew I was up in the air, because of its stealthy capabilities! Lockheed has built a most incredible, awesome piece of art!!!