The YF-16 prototype made its first (unplanned) flight at Edwards AFB, when test pilot Phil Oestricher lifted off during a high-speed taxi test to avoid losing control. The aircraft, designed by Harry Hillaker at General Dynamics with significant unofficial input from Boyd and the Fighter Mafia, embodied E-M theory principles: optimized for energy maneuverability rather than top speed, with a high thrust-to-weight ratio, low wing loading, and fly-by-wire controls that allowed inherent airframe instability for maximum agility. The F-16 went on to become the most successful fighter aircraft in history, with over 4,600 produced and adopted by 25 nations. It remains Boyd's most tangible legacy — proof that his theoretical framework could produce a superior real-world result.