It's not the first time the F-35 Lightning II has appeared at an air show, but it is the first time it has wowed crowds with a full aerobatic display. An F-35A – the conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) variant – showed the public what it could do at the 2017 Paris Air Show on Monday, in the aircraft's aerial demonstration debut.
The development of the F-35 has been far from smooth flying, with numerous delays and cost blowouts raising doubts and attracting criticism from many quarters. So, the flying displays at Paris–Le Bourget Airport this week are intended to do more than just impress the public –they need to impress the representatives of military forces attending the show as well.
The full debut aerial demonstration with Lockheed Martin test pilot Billie Flynn at the controls can be seen below. Attendees at the Paris Air Show can also catch briefings being run by Lockheed Martin where pilots will discuss the aerial demonstration and how the maneuvers on display relate to operational flying of the F-35.