New RAF jets banned from airshow over risk of melting runways

The RAF’s new fighter jets will not be allowed to make vertical landings at air shows across Britain this summer – in case they melt the runways.

Just like predecessor Harrier Jump jets, retired in 2010, the F-35B Lightning can hover and come straight down to land.

While unable to take off vertically, the new state-of-the art jet requires only a short runway.

But its pilots can transform the aircraft from a horizontal flyer to a vertical lander with just a push of a button.

This is achieved using vertical thrust, and a massive vertical turbofan engine which is hidden within the fuselage and makes it possible to land like a helicopter in very small spaces to wow

air show crowds.

Senior RAF chiefs says this will not be possible for fear its powerful engines will melt the runway.

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The F-35B is usually either deployed from the decks of Royal Navy aircraft carriers, or RAF Marham in Norfolk, where the 1,855m runway was especially strengthened as part of a £250million

project to welcome the F-35s to the UK in 2018.

Unfortunately, other airfields around the country do not have this, so the two fighter pilots who have been assigned to the F-35B, pictured left, for the air show season will fly to events

and then return to RAF Marham every day.

“Specialist concrete is needed to avoid the dangerous exhaust gases damaging certain runway surfaces,” Group Captain John “Butch” Butcher, who commands theUK’s Lightning Force, told Air

Forces magazine.

“This is why we will generally limit F-35B participation to hovering,” he said. “The Lightning Force intends to primarily operate from RAF Marham rather than from the event location.

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“However, this may change depending on specific circumstances or requirements.”

Despite this, Group Captain Butcher has promised this will be the best air show season to date.

“This year you will see a noticeable difference in F-35B performances as we aim to deliver a more dynamic and interesting demonstration than in previous years,” he added.

“We want to share the impressive sight of the F-35B to inspire and hopefully attract the next generation of aviators – bring some hearing protection”.

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