Edwards Open House

Located in the centre of the californian dessert Edwards AFB is the main location for research and flight test of new US aircraft and aerial vehicles. This is mainly due to the fact of the excellent weather conditions with nearly no rain days during the year and the great salt lake which has been an ideal runway used for the first landings. Looking out in the endless widths of the salt lake you can still image the thunders of the X-1 or X-15 breaking the sound barrier high in the skies above.

Actually this feeling revived that day with Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Chuck Yeager and his final military flight. On this occasion he pierced the sound barrier with an F-15 inscribed with the words 'Glamourous Glennis' as he did for the first time on Oct., 14 1947. He was accompagnied in another F-15 by Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Joseph Engle, a former X-15 pilot.

The test programms have also been a major part in the static display:
From veterans like the NB-52B No.008 with countless mission markings on its fuselage to the newest test programms like an Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) F/A-18 or the X-43 hypersonic vehicle.
On display were also the newest and hottest military aircraft. The Open House has been the first possibility to see the future JSF, namely the X-35B and the F-22 as well as the widely discussed V-22 Osprey and the Global Hawk.

Hot stuff has been up in the air, too:
Apart from the already mentioned sonic boom by Chuck Yeager also a B-1 broke the sound barrier that day. This plane previously took part in one of the two surprising formation that filled the sky that day.
Ever seen a 4-ship formation consisting of a F-15C, F-16B and two T-38, all with ED-tailcodes? Yes? Then what about a 5-ship of a F-15e, F-15C, F-16C, F-16B and a F-117 followed by a KC-135/C-17 and a B-52/B-1?...
They have really been the most stunning aerial act that day, although I was also really impressed by the A-10 display and the thunder of the F-15E's engines.

With about 175.000 visitors that day it has been the most visited airshow I have ever been. Despite the usual queues for Hot Dogs and Hamburgers the organisation has been perfect! Unfortunately the Open House is only for one day, much too less to see the static and the flight display...