First pilot to clock 1,000 hours on the F-35

After flying the F-35 for eight years, Lockheed Martin test pilot David “Doc” Nelson became the first pilot to achieve 1,000 flight hours on the jet during a test sortie Jan. 6.

Photo: Tom Reynolds/Lockheed Martin

Doc achieve the feat while flying AF-03 on a 4.5 hour test flight out at Edwards Air Force Base.