Raptors cleared to fly again

  • Published
Air Force officials cleared the F/A-22 Raptor to resume flight operations Jan. 6 following a comprehensive review of procedural and engineering data.

One of the aircraft crashed Dec. 20 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., which caused a temporary halt to flying the most technologically advanced fighter in the world, officials said.

The investigation of the accident continues. However, enough information is available for Air Force officials to be highly confident in the design, testing and development of the F/A-22s. With about 7,000 flight hours already logged in the Raptor and an overwhelmingly positive safety record when compared to previous aircraft development programs, officials said they determined that flight operations can be safely resumed.

No one was injured in the Dec. 20 accident that destroyed the aircraft.