SOFIA in operation: telescope performance during the early science flights

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy SOFIA started in December 2010 with the first series of science flights, and has successfully completed about 38 science missions until fall 2011. The science instruments flown included HIPO, FORCAST, GREAT and FLITECAM. Beside their scientific results (see related papers in these proceedings) the flights delivered an extensive data base which is now used for the telescope performance characterization and the operational optimization of the telescope in its unique environment. In this progress report we summarize recent achievements of the observatory as well as the status of the telescope and give an update of the SOFIA pointing system completed by intended future pointing optimization activities.