F-35B engine maker says major problems solved (update: the sound of good buzz)

Update July 29: A month on from the F-35B's announcement that major problems with the verticle takeoff engine were solved, the Marine Corps is trying make some more buzz.

Today, July 29, the Corps flew a group of reporters to Pentagon to Naval Air Station Pax River to show off the plane's abilities and said that they're hopeful the arircraft will soon get off the military's probation list.

Good news as the canceling of the program would not only be bad news in local construction contracts (some $100 million in contracts are expected for the Beaufort air base) but it would leave the Corps in quite a lurch as their current fleet ages.

First reporting June 28: Pratt and Whitney, the lead manufacturer of the F-35B STOVL engine, announced at last week's Paris Air Show that the major problems plaguing the high-tech engine indeed have been solved.

According to a trade pub piece, Pratt and Whitney's vice president said the F135 engine is testing well with shipboard tests scheduled for October.

Check out the brief piece out of Paris here.

Filed in