The Air Force’s single F-22 Raptor aerial demonstration pilot, Maj. Paul “Max” Moga, so wowed the air show circuit that AirShowBuzz named him the Person of the Year for 2007. The Raptor and Moga, says AirShowBuzz, became a “game changer for the industry. “Without a doubt, the Raptor demo brought even the most experienced pilots to a grinding halt as they watched Moga drive the F-22 through its powerful paces,” says AirShowBuzz.com. Air Combat Command gave formal approval last spring for a single Raptor and pilot to begin public demos.
The Air Force is slashing all civilian positions at its premier research institute for Chinese military aviation, prompting concern among experts who say it will dilute the service’s focus on the Pentagon’s most significant long-term adversary.
