Chilly conversation

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Airman 1st Class Travis Young, 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, begins communicating with the pilot of an F-16 before it taxis to the runway. Northwest Florida was hit by a massive cold front sending temperatures plummeting well below freezing. Despite the cold, the maintainers must prepare the jets and get them in the air. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Anthony Jennings)

Waiting for the heat

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Airman 1st Class Cody Snodgrass and Travis Young, 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, talk while waiting for an F-16’s engine to fire up Jan. 5. Northwest Florida was hit by a massive cold front sending temperatures plummeting well below freezing. Despite the cold, the maintainers must prepare the jets and get them in the air. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Anthony Jennings)

Canadian WSEP

F-18 Hornets from the 409th Canadian Air Force line the runway during a Weapon System Evaluation Program 10-03 on Dec. 4 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. The WSEP program, run by the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron, is used to evaluate the effectiveness and suitability of combat air force weapon systems for aircrew and maintainers. The 53rd Wing headquarters is located on Eglin AFB, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King, Jr.)

Restoring a piece of aviation history

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Senior Airman Joshua Estep, 96th Security Forces Squadron investigations/antiterrorism officer, primes a B-52G static display at the Air Force Armament Museum Nov. 13. The 96th SFS and 96th Ground Combat Training Squadron are working together to fully restore the aging aircraft as part of the Adopt-a-Plane program which aims to have individual organizations take responsibility for maintaining a specific aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Anthony Jennings)

JSF

A model of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is part of the back drop at the 33rd Fighter Wing redesignation ceremony marking the standup of the Air Force's first F-35 training unit. The 33rd FW "Nomads" now align under Air Education and Training Command and will be responsible for training pilots and mechanics on the new fighter. (U.S. Air Force photo /Greg Murry)

Eglin hosts B-1 test mission

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Staff Sgt. Dallas Osburn, 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Maj. Neil McCracken, 53rd Test Management Group, and Col. Mick Guthals, 53rd Wing vice commander, perform their preflight inspection of the B-1B Lancer before its return flight to Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Two B-1B Lancers were brought from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, last week in an effort to better defend the aircraft for today’s warfighters and prove the strength of new software. The B-1 is a long range, multi-role, heavy bomber with a wingspan of 137 feet, and is capable of intercontinental flight unrefueled. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Sam King)