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After soaring through two decades as a Marine Corps fighter pilot, Ross Fearon wasn’t quite ready to hang up his flight suit.
Instead, he embarked on a new mission after retiring from the Corps, trading combat maneuvers for flight testing on the cutting-edge F-35 Lightning II aircraft service at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE). In his new role as an F-35 maintenance test pilot, Fearon ensures the nation’s warfighters receive flight-ready aircraft following modification or repair at the depot.
Now, as a civilian flying the nation’s newest military fighter jet, Fearon is member of a group that includes just a handful of individuals. As a civilian F-35 test pilot at a military aircraft maintenance facility, he’s the sole member of a very exclusive club of one.
“It definitely still surprises me sometimes when I think, ‘Wow, I’m going to jump into a $100 million airplane today and make sure everything works properly,’” Fearon said. “And, if all goes well, I’ll jump in it again tomorrow and take it across the country to deliver it to its home station. It’s a little wild that I’m still able to do this as a civilian, and I’m fortunate to have this opportunity.”
According to FRCE F-35 Branch Head Ike Rettenmair, employing a full-time civilian pilot was an innovative concept that has resulted in reduced modification turnaround times by removing the potential for pilot scheduling conflicts. Fearon is readily available to conduct aircraft pickups and deliveries (also known as ferries) and functional check flights, which determine whether an aircraft’s airframe,
https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/display-news/Article/4222977/the-mission-is-the-same-retired-marine-f-35-pilot-finds-new-way-to-serve-at-frce/
DoE Declares U.S. Southeast Grid Emergency To Avert "Blackouts"
Tyler Durden's Photo
by Tyler Durden
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - 05:00 PM
A massive heat dome is scorching the eastern half of the U.S., triggering widespread grid stress. The week began with emergency alerts across the Mid-Atlantic, including a multi-hour blackout in New York City's Queens borough as power demand surged. Now, the Southeast grid is under similar tight conditions. The Trump administration has declared a power emergency as millions blast air conditioning.
On Tuesday morning, the Department of Energy issued an emergency order under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act to prevent blackouts in the Southeast U.S. amid surging demand due to extreme heat. The order allows Duke Energy Carolinas to operate fossil fuel power generators at maximum capacity from early this morning through Wednesday, overriding 'green' rules to maintain grid stability and prevent a rolling blackout.
https://www.zerohedge.com/weather/doe-declares-us-southeast-grid-emergency-avert-blackouts