Defense Secretary Robert Gates sat in the cockpit of one of the Air Force’s F-22A Raptors during a visit to Langley AFB, Va. Seated in the new stealthy fighter, Gates listened to a review of its attributes from Lt. Col. Dirk Smith, commander of Langley’s 94th Fighter Squadron. Smith had just returned to Langley from the first participation by the Raptor in Red Flag at Nellis AFB, Nev.
An Air Force F-16 pilot designed a collapsible ladder that weighs just six pounds and folds into the unused cockpit map case.