Cruising

Marine Capt. Mark Noble, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, taxis his F-16 back in to the 33rd Fighter Wing flightline after a sortie at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March 18. After completing his second familiarization flight at Eglin, he was cleared to fly a solo mission. The F-16 sorties flown by Marine pilots last week were the first flights for the VMFAT-501 - the Marine squadron responsible for training on the F-35B. The flights are designed to familiarize the pilots with an aircraft similar to the F-35 as well as introduce them to the airspace and flightline operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Static & Kinetic

An F-16 from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., waits for action while another Fighting Falcon performs a touch-and-go at Eglin's runway March 18. The F-16s were brought here to provide familiarization training to the 33rd Fighter Wing pilots prior to the arrival of the F-35 and to establish a “battle rhythm” for the 33rd flightline operations. Currently, Marines and Air Force pilots are completing daily sorties. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

MX

Airman 1st Class Andrew Merriman, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, monitors an F-16 Fighting Falcon through flight checks prior to a sortie at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March 18. The F-16s were brought here to provide familiarization training to the 33rd Fighter Wing pilots prior to the arrival of the F-35 and to establish a “battle rhythm” for the 33rd flightline operations. Currently, Marines and Air Force pilots are completing daily sorties. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Warlord

Marine Lt. Col. James Wellons, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 commander, seals his oxygen mask to his helmet before his F-16 sortie at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March 18. The F-16 sorties flown by Marine pilots last week were the first flights for the VMFAT-501 - the Marine squadron responsible for training on the F-35B. The flights are designed to familiarize the pilots with an aircraft similar to the F-35 as well as introduce them to the airspace and flightline operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Send them out

Airman 1st Class Andrew Merriman, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, marshals out an F-16 Fighting Falcon for a sortie at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March 18. The F-16s were brought here to provide familiarization training to the 33rd Fighter Wing pilots prior to the arrival of the F-35 and to establish a “battle rhythm” for the 33rd flightline operations. Currently, Marines and Air Force pilots are completing daily sorties. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

"16" point inspection

Marine Lt. Col. James Wellons, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 commander, inspects his aircraft prior to his sortie at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March 18. The F-16 sorties flown by Marine pilots last week were the first flights for the VMFAT-501 - the Marine squadron responsible for training on the F-35B. The flights are designed to familiarize the pilots with an aircraft similar to the F-35 as well as introduce them to the airspace and flightline operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)