F-35A Lightning II pilot receives safety award Published Sept. 30, 2015 By Senior Airman Andrea Posey 33rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs 09/30/2015 – EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – -- A 58th Fighter Squadron F-35A Lightning II pilot based here was recently awarded the Koren Kolligian Jr. trophy by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III for flight safety in a ceremony at the Pentagon Sept. 23. Capt. Timothy Killham, 58th FS flight commander, received this trophy that recognizes outstanding feats of airmanship by an individual aircrew member, who by extraordinary skill, exceptional alertness, ingenuity, or proficiency, averted accidents or minimized the seriousness of the accidents in terms of injury, loss of life, aircraft or property damage. On June 23, 2014, Killham experienced engine malfunction during takeoff because of a failure of the third-stage rotor of the engine fan module, according to Air Force investigators. Killham cites his training as a pilot for his success in controlling the jet, aborting takeoff and getting himself to safety the day of the accident. “I had been taught and practiced the emergency procedures (abort and egress) for this event ever since pilot training,” said Killham. “When the fire happened, the decision-making process was simple from training. The fire just added a lot of adrenaline to the situation.” Pilots train and practice throughout their careers to respond to varying emergency situations in both academic situations and simulator training, according to Lt. Col. Brad Bashore, 58th Fighter Squadron commander. “When one of these situations arise, the instincts developed during training kick in and help the pilot perform in a calculated, exacting manner,” said Bashore. “Ultimately, that training is what arms our pilots with the knowledge and skills to resolve the situation and safely recover the aircraft.” Killham’s leadership believes his skillful actions are a testament to the quality of training in the USAF today. “This is a well-deserved award to an outstanding fighter pilot,” said Bashore. “Capt. Killham's swift actions saved two valuable USAF assets that day, a professional aviator and an F-35A Lightning II. His actions bring great credit upon himself and the 33rd Fighter Wing.” This trophy is presented each year in honor of an Air Force pilot, 1st Lt. Koren Kolligian Jr., declared missing in the line of duty when his T-33 Shooting Star disappeared off the coast of California on Sept. 14, 1955. Annual recipients receive replicas of the large trophy the Kolligian family donated that is on permanent display at the Pentagon.