On Sept. 7, 1997, the first Lockheed-Boeing F-22 was flown for the first time, taking to the skies over Marietta and north Georgia. F-22 Chief Test Pilot Paul Metz flew the aircraft from Dobbins Air Reserve Base, lifting off the runway at 140 knots with the aircraft's two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 engines at military power. The aircraft reached an altitude of 15,000 feet in less than three minutes, then was put through a series of power changes to test aircraft handling characteristics and engine performance Flying chase for first flight in two F-16 aircraft were Lt. Col. Steve Rainey, slated to be the first Air Force pilot to fly the F-22, and Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems F-22 test pilot Jon Beesley.

Midway through the flight, Metz climbed to 20,000 feet and retracted the F-22's landing gear. He then conducted more engine transients, evaluated the jet's performance in "clean" configuration, and flew formation on Beesley's F-16 to evaluate precision handling characteristics before landing back at Dobbins ARB. The flight lasted just under an hour.

"This first flight was very successful and the Raptor has wings," said Metz, who is also the
F-22 Team's chief test pilot. "Now we have to make sure it has talons."