The Boeing Joint Strike Fighter X-32B on Sunday accomplished a major aerospace milestone and a JSF program first when it transitioned from wingborne flight to a hover at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. On the aircraft's 44th flight, Dennis O'Donoghue, Boeing lead STOVL test pilot, transitioned from fully wingborne (conventional) to jetborne (STOVL) flight mode and then smoothly decelerated the X-32B to a steady hover 200 feet above the ground. "The plane was extremely stable during hover," O'Donoghue said. "I was very impressed with the X-32B's controllability, responsiveness and the ease of moving into and out of the hover." During five flights on Sunday, the X-32B completed four hovers, descending to 150 feet on the aircraft's 45th flight and completing a 360-degree turn on the 47th flight. The plane is expected to complete its first vertical landing within days.

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