U-2 pilot reaches 2,000 hours

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Maj. Mark climbs out of a U-2 after reaching his 2,000th flying hour in the aircraft Feb. 10, 2012. The Mobile, Ala., native is deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., to the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Victoria Porto)

U-2 pilot reaches 2,000 hours

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Maj. Mark taxis a U-2 to its hangar Feb. 10, 2012 after reaching his 2,000th flight hour in the aircraft. He is deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., to the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Victoria Porto)

U-2 pilot reaches 2,000 hours

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Maj. Mark lands a U-2 as his wingman in a chase car follows along, guiding him to the runway Feb. 10, 2012. During the mission, Mark became just the 30th pilot to reach 2,000 flight hours in the aircraft. He is deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., to the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Victoria Porto)

U-2 pilot reaches 2,000 hours

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Maj. Mark lands a U-2 as his wingman in a chase car follows along, guiding him to the runway Feb. 10, 2012. The pilot reached 2,000 flight hours in the aircraft during the mission. He is deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., to the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Victoria Porto)

U-2 Dragon Lady

The U-2 phase team from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics poses for a final photo Sept. 16, 2011, after their final phase inspection at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia. The team is made up of crew chiefs and hydraulic, fuels, avionics and electrical experts and has been providing inspections in the deployed location since 2004. Inspections are moving to Beal Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Patrick Mitchell)

Inspection in deployed location gets jets back in the air sooner

David Hall, a member of the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics phase team conducts, a regularly-scheduled deep-dive inspection of a U-2, Sept.1, 2011, at an air base in Southwest Asia. The inspection takes the team of 14 civilians 19 days from start to finish and encompasses 450 special inspection items that are critical to keeping the aircraft flying. Conducting the inspection at the deployed wing returns the aircraft to the mission sooner, officials said. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech Sgt. Patrick Mitchell)