Unveiling the Secrets: Flying the F-117 Stealth Fighter at Area 51

In 1986, Squadron Leader Dave Southwood was 34 years old and a seasoned Royal Air Force test pilot. He had experience flying Jaguars and Tornados. The Cold War was escalating, and the special relationship between Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher was at its peak. Whispers about advanced stealth technology were circulating in military circles. Then one night, a phone call changed everything for Southwood.

“Dave, are you available to go to the States for a month?” his boss, Colin Cruikshanks, asked mysteriously. “The Chief of the Air Staff wants to see you tomorrow.”

Hours later, Southwood found himself in a hushed office with Britain’s highest-ranking airman. He learned he had been selected for a top-secret assignment. The mission was to evaluate America’s clandestine F-117 stealth fighter, which was operating under deep secrecy in Nevada’s Tonopah Test Range and the secretive Groom Lake—commonly known as Area 51.

“They didn’t show me a picture,” Southwood recalls. “He simply said it was shaped like a faceted arrowhead, utterly bizarre, designed to vanish from radar.”

A Journey Begins

Days later, Southwood and Cruickshanks boarded a civilian airliner to Washington D.C. They blended in among tourists and business travelers. This was not their usual RAF transport. It was a calculated effort to stay under the radar, both figuratively and literally.

Upon arriving in the U.S., Southwood was quickly engulfed in briefings at the Pentagon and even found himself at the White House. It felt surreal, but the reason for their unprecedented access became apparent. The Americans wanted Britain, which was developing what would become the Eurofighter Typhoon, to fully understand the leap forward represented by stealth technology.

“They wanted us to know what was possible,” Southwood explains. “They aimed to ensure we didn’t limit ourselves.”

After a week of briefings, Southwood and Cruickshanks boarded an unmarked jet and vanished from civilization, first arriving at Groom Lake, then Tonopah. They underwent an intense training regimen similar to that of U.S. pilots, including classroom academics, rigorous simulator training, and finally, cockpit time in the angular, sinister-looking jet.

Secrecy and Camouflage

Their presence was so secret that initially, the Americans suggested disguising them as CIA pilots. Southwood recalls their rhetorical question: “How many British pilots does the CIA employ?” After some chuckles, a simpler cover emerged. They would introduce themselves as former British test pilots there for consultations.

However, secrecy remained the highest priority. “We used call signs of pilots who were away on leave,” he mentions. “On my first sortie, I checked in on the radio with a British accent. Apparently, the base telephone network practically melted down.”

From that point onward, chase pilots made all radio calls for them, disguising their presence even from fellow stealth squadron members.

First Impressions of the F-117

The day finally arrived when Southwood would climb into the cockpit of the F-117. Entering a Groom Lake hangar, he gazed upon its angular, faceted shape. “It looked impossible, something out of science fiction,” he remembers. “You understood immediately this was a game-changer.”

The unusual shape was a result of limitations in 1980s radar modeling technology. To evade radar, Lockheed’s legendary Skunk Works engineers created a faceted design that computers could analyze. This was a stark contrast to the smooth curves made possible in later stealth aircraft like the B-2.

In the cockpit, Southwood experienced a strange mix of familiarity and alien technology. Beneath the jet’s angular exterior were flight control computers taken from the agile F-16 and avionics similar to the F/A-18 Hornet. Yet, he noted the cockpit canopy had a solid metal band across the top, which dramatically restricted visibility.

“Bank more than 45 degrees, and you couldn’t look into the turn,” he recalls. “Low-level flying felt precarious, like threading a needle.”

The Challenge of Flying the F-117

Despite its appearance, flying the F-117 was relatively straightforward. However, there were some quirks. Landing was difficult; high approach speeds caused the fighter to float stubbornly in ground effect, “refusing to land unless positively forced down.”

None of these challenges detracted from the F-117's singular mission: to penetrate enemy radar defenses unseen, drop laser-guided bombs on pre-designated targets, and then vanish.

“It wasn’t a fighter. It was a highly specialized bomber,” Southwood emphasizes. “All the sorties were carefully scripted. The missions were pre-planned, with targets loaded into computers on the ground. It wasn’t agile, but it was incredibly precise.”

Experiencing the Constant Peg Program

During their evaluation period, Southwood and Cruickshanks were introduced to the “Constant Peg” program. This was another black-world secret—America’s clandestine MiG squadron, the 4477th TES Red Eagles. They had the opportunity to visit the squadron’s briefing rooms and witness the surreal sight of Soviet-built MiG-21s and MiG-23s landing in the Nevada desert. However, they were never permitted to see inside the hangars.

After weeks immersed in this hidden world, the two pilots returned to the UK. Writing their classified report turned into an exercise in clandestine creativity. They typed their findings on early word processors, using cryptic notes that only they understood. Once submitted, only five people in Britain—including the Prime Minister and Chief of the Air Staff—were allowed to read their conclusions.

Ironically, the authors of the report, Southwood and Cruickshanks, were not on the distribution list. Southwood never saw the report again.

Legacy and Lessons Learned

The F-117 evaluation had a profound impact on British aviation thinking. Although the RAF ultimately did not purchase stealth fighters, their report influenced decisions regarding stealth integration into the Eurofighter program. This also initiated a persistent exchange program, embedding RAF pilots in U.S. stealth units, creating a pipeline of shared knowledge that continues today.

Reflecting years later, Southwood remains in awe of the F-117’s accomplishments. “It was incredibly successful at its role. The stealth technology changed air warfare forever,” he notes, recognizing the lasting influence of the lessons learned in Nevada on aviation strategies worldwide.

However, Southwood is pragmatic about the long-term realities of living in such secrecy. “It was fascinating, but would I have wanted to live that life for years? Probably not,” he muses. “The secrecy made it a lonely, constrained existence.”

Today, retired from RAF service and recently still flying vintage fighters and training aircraft, Southwood reflects on his stealth adventure with quiet pride. He is continually impressed by the discipline of the countless individuals who made the program possible, from pilots to cooks, mechanics to administrators—all working together under a veil of secrecy.

“No one leaked anything until the airplane finally emerged into the public eye,” he marvels. “To me, that culture of absolute secrecy is as impressive as the airplane itself.”

And what about the small plaque and odd-shaped wooden block, gifts from the U.S. Air Force to commemorate his role in the F-117 program? Southwood keeps these meaningful items stored away at home—discreet reminders of a pivotal moment in history when knowledge of a "game-changing" leap in aviation technology quietly passed into British hands.