Trading cockpits Published Sept. 1, 2011 By Senior Airman Christina Bozeman 94th Airlift Wing, Public Affairs DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga -- Capt. Jonathan Lester, a C-130 pilot, and Senior Airman Michael Sterchi, a C-130 loadmaster, both from the 700th Airlift Squadron at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, were invited to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company to try out the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter cockpit demonstrator. Lester is best at home flying the C-130H and has been flying the aircraft for four years. "There was a huge difference between flying the F-35 and flying the C-130" Lester said. "The C-130 has so many more variables. I enjoyed getting the chance to try the simulator." Lester and Sterchi, traditional reservists here, had the chance to personally experience the F-35's visually and audibly interactive cockpit; it provides a realistic look at the F-35's performance, air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, sophisticated sensor fusion and advanced computational capabilities.
