Gary Vacin

Sun Lakes Aero Club members and guests attending the group’s December 18 gathering heard all about the F-35 fighter jets.

Maj. Peter Cossette, an F-35 instructor pilot at Luke AFB, briefed the audience on what it’s like to fly the supersonic aircraft, which has become the backbone of the U.S. Air Force’s strike force.

Cossette supervises operations for a projected 24 F-35A squadron, conducting U.S. and partner training at Luke. He is part of a team supporting the F-35 partnership by building the future of airpower for the U.S., Australia, Italy and Norway.

The Air Force major has more than 2,000 hours flying in the F-16 and F-35 aircraft. “I never thought I’d ever love another plane like the F-16, but the F-35 is my favorite now.”

Maj. Cossette’s presentation was the second in the Aero Club’s 2017-18 season. Other presentations are scheduled for the third Monday in February, March and April. The club also offers fly-in breakfast trips to nearby airport restaurants and field trips to aviation-related facilities.

More information on the club is available from Cannon Hill at 509-539-7857, Gary Vacin at 480-298-7017 or the club’s website, www.sunlakesaeroclub.org.