After Years of Planning, F-35s Land in Vermont
by
Kevin McCallum
Posted on
September 19, 2019 at 7:34PM
But Smith explained that while the F-35 is heavier, it also has a far more powerful engine, which has no problem taking off in regular power, known as military power. The lighter F-16, when fully loaded, needed more than half of the 8,319-foot runway when taking off in military power, so safety regulations required the planes to use afterburners, he said.