I'm calling today "F136 Day" because ... well, for me, it is.
I'm on my way to Cincinnati for a meeting this afternoon with the General Electric/Rolls-Royce program manager for the perpetually-imperilled alternate engine for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
I've got to run to catch my bus, but I'll let you know how it turns out.
In the meantime, enjoy some background reading material on the engine here, and feel free to share your thoughts on whether you think the JSF program really needs two engines.
I'm writing your boss. I find it shocking that a publication such as yours can't spring the money for airfare and instead puts you on a Greyhound bus.
Did Gen Jumper ever take that job with Rolls?
Given the price of the F-35 and the failure rate in single engine jet fighters historically, I'm not too keen on the single engine design. I know the engines for the F-35 are going to be so much less likely to fail...but still.