Lt. Col. Benjamin Bishop completes preflight checks before his first sortie in an F-35A Lightning II, March 6, 2013, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Bishop is among the first pilots to begin the official training that began in January. Bishop and other 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron pilots will begin operational testing of the joint strike fighter later this year at Nellis AFB, Nev. Bishop is the 422nd TES director of operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)