Back in the Air

F-22 flight operations have resumed at Langley Air Force Base, VA, several days after a pilot suffered hypoxia-like symptoms while in flight, according to a statement issued today by Air Combat Command.

The F-22 fleet was formally grounded earlier this year because of concerns over the aircraft's oxygen-generation system, but that grounding was lifted before a complete fix could be discovered. The service opted to lift the standdown “while implementing improvements to the aircraft's life-support systems and carefully collecting and analyzing operational, maintenance and physiological data for all Raptor flights-more than 1,300 missions since the return to flight,” the ACC statement reads.

After a pilot experienced hypoxia-like systems at Langley AFB earlier this week, the F-22 fleet based there was temporarily grounded based on a decision from on-site officials, ACC confirmed. Those aircraft resumed operations this morning.

“Local commanders are authorized to pause operations whenever they need to analyze information collected from flight operations to ensure safety,” according to the statement. “That is what happened at Langley Air Force Base.”

Raptor aircraft were also temporarily grounded at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska in response to the incident at Langley, a decision made by Pacific Air Forces headquarters as a precautionary measure, according to to Elmendorf-Richardson spokeswoman Corinna Jones. Jones confirmed to InsideDefense.com today that the standdown in Alaska lasted from Thursday through Monday, and that pilots in Alaska experienced no problems with the F-22's oxygen system. Raptors based at Elmendorf-Richardson “are in the air right now,” she said.