At airshows along the West Coast in 2024, the F-35B Lightning II, piloted by Maj. Craig Norris of the Marine Corps, captivated audiences not just with its advanced capabilities but also with a surprisingly common question.
“The first question we always get is, ‘Hey, is there air conditioning in there?'” Norris revealed during a recent episode of “The Fighter Pilot Podcast.” In this episode, he was joined by Maj. Craig Turner, his successor for the current airshow season, and host Vincent “Jell-O” Aiello, a former Navy fighter pilot.
Both Norris and Turner hail from military backgrounds and instruct at the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) in California. Norris, with nearly 1,000 flight hours, and Turner, with more than 600, have extensive experience flying the F-35B.
Introduced to Marine Corps service in 2015, the F-35B is a fifth-generation fighter jet renowned for its capability to reach speeds close to 1,200 mph. It’s also the first supersonic aircraft that can execute short takeoff and vertical landings (STOVL) and features advanced stealth technology that makes it nearly invisible to radar.
In their discussion on the podcast, Norris and Turner delved into how they balance their teaching duties with airshow performances, the vital role of ground crews, criteria for becoming an airshow pilot, the aerial maneuvers they execute, and the origins of their callsigns—Norris as “Brembo” and Turner as “Chuckles.”
For a deeper dive, listen to the full episode below. More details about “The Fighter Pilot Podcast” can be found on its official website. To see the Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II demonstration team in action, the 2025 airshow schedule is available here.
Follow and Subscribe to The Fighter Pilot Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Keep Up With the Best in Military Entertainment
