F-35B's first Ski-jump launch

The first launch of an F-35B from a ski-jump was performed by a BAE test pilot last week. The Ski-jump was built to test the ability of the F-35B to take off from the British Queen Elizabeth and the Italian Cavour aircraft carriers which will be receiving the F-35B's.

F-35B STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter performs first launch from ski-jump in the hands of a British pilot.
On Jun. 19, BAE Systems Test Pilot Pete ‘Wizzer’ Wilson launched the Lockheed Martin F-35B from a land-based ski-jump for the very first time, at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

defensetech.org...-25201

theaviationist.com...

a reply to: Sammamishman

Bastards. Guess where I am today?

a reply to: Zaphod58

Nice. Truck's wheel in one hand, camera in the other?

That distance looks a lot shorter than a AV-8B launch of a ski ramp. That Queen Elizabeth will be quite a ship once the F-35Bs get on her deck.

a reply to: Zaphod58
Some place miserably hot?

a reply to: StratosFear

Yes it is miserably hot 2 miles from Pax River right now.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I remember reading from somewhere they were doing some night testing on Im guessing F-35s. Are you up close to one?

a reply to: StratosFear

They've been doing a lot of the B and C model testing up this way. I haven't seen one flying around yet but I'm keeping an eye out.

a reply to: Sammamishman
'cept he's too late....as usual....

a reply to: nwtrucker

Too late for the ramp test. Doesn't mean they're done flying up here.

a reply to: Sammamishman Ski jump launch seems to work correctly. I wonder why American aircraft carriers do no use this method to launch planes?

a reply to: Zaphod58

That's true! Any luck? Picts?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Sammamishman

Bastards. Guess where I am today?

That was assisted by the F 35 b's vertical takeoff capability . So my question is Are the ski ramps used to increase its payload takeoff weight?

Edit;

Never mind that was the first question that popped into my head and I found the answer at the first link .

Both countries plan to deploy their short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) versions of the jet aboard carriers equipped with a ski jump, a feature that allows aircraft to carry more weight despite taking off from a short runway. Read more: defensetech.org... Defense.org

a reply to: Ceeker63

Ramp launches limit the weight and size of the aircraft that is going off the ramp when compared to CAT launches, plus it is harder in wear and tear on the landing gear assemblies.
Other countries would have more CAT capable carriers too if they weren't so much more expensive and complicated than ramps.

a reply to: nwtrucker

I did see a couple of Blackhawks with interesting attachments but no F-35s.

a reply to: Ceeker63

A cat launch allows for an MTOW launch. A flat deck like the LHA/LHDs use, and a ski jump can't. The ramp allows for heavier launches than a flat deck, but the only way to get a max load is a catapult.

a reply to: Greathouse

A ramp is a tradeoff. It allows for heavier launches, but makes it harder to park aircraft on that part of the deck from what I've been told. So it's whether you want the heavier takeoff or more aircraft.

The US generally operates tanker aircraft in the area that combat operations are going on, so they can takeoff with more weapons, and a lighter fuel load, and tank once their airborne. Or they can offload to a forward base.