sweet... totally

This thing just looks fierce.

All of the pilots who have flown the F-22 up to this point are experienced in some other fighter, mostly the F-15C or F-16. but very soon, there will be a lucky pilot training student and FAIP (first assignment instructor pilot) that will go straight to the Raptor. The AF's newest jet has been a dangling carrot for about a year or so, but has always been taken off the list of possible assignments a few months before they were officially doled out. I for one would not want to be the first lieutenant to fly this sucker and be the focus of the big brass, or be so nervous about making a mistake that I did not really get the best training. Personally, when my time comes, I'm gonna ask for my Viper and then maybe move on to the JSF when it comes online.

Source Noah Shachtman at Wired and OPFOR. Photos are from the air show at Naval Base Ventura County in Point Mugu, Ca.