T-6 Texan II
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| T-6 Texan II | |
|---|---|
 A USAF T-6A Texan II out of Randolph Air Force Base |
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| Type | Trainer aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Raytheon Aircraft Company Hawker Beechcraft |
| Primary users | United States Air Force United States Navy Canadian Forces Greek Air Force |
| Produced | +435[1] |
| Developed from | Pilatus PC-9 |
The T-6A Texan II is a single-engined turboprop aircraft built by the Raytheon Aircraft Company (now Hawker Beechcraft). It is used by the United States Air Force for basic pilot training and by the United States Navy for Primary and Intermediate Joint Naval Flight Officer (NFO) and Air Force Navigator / Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) training. It is replacing the Air Force's T-37B Tweet and the Navy's T-34C Turbo Mentor. The T-6A is also used as a basic trainer by the Canadian Forces (CT-156 Harvard II) and the Greek Air Force.
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[edit] Design and development
The T-6 is a development of the Pilatus PC-9, modified significantly by Beechcraft in order to enter the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) competition in the 1990s.[2] The aircraft was designated under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system named for the decades-earlier T-6 Texan. A similar arrangement between Pilatus and British Aerospace had also been in place for an Royal Air Force competition in the 1980s, although this competition selected the Shorts Tucano. The Beechcraft brand has since been purchased from Raytheon by Onex Corporation as Hawker Beechcraft.[3]
The Texan II is built by Hawker Beechcraft in Wichita, Kansas. Although the design is heavily based on the Pilatus PC-9, the T-6 is a complete redesign from the ground up, and is considerably more sophisticated and powerful.[2]
[edit] Variants
[edit] T-6A
The T-6A was introduced to Moody Air Force Base and Randolph Air Force Base in 2000-2001, and the Air Force awarded the full rate T-6 production contract in December 2001. Laughlin Air Force Base began flying the T-6 in 2003 where it is now the primary basic trainer, having completely replaced the venerable T-37. Vance Air Force Base completed transitioning from the T-37 to the T-6 in 2006. That year, Columbus Air Force Base began its transition, and will retire its last T-37 in April 2008. T-37s are still in service at Sheppard Air Force Base, and are expected to retire in 2008.[citation needed]
The T-6A also replaced all T-34s at Naval Air Station Pensacola in early 2005. T-34s are still in service at NAS Corpus Christi and NAS Whiting Field as the primary trainer.
One Texan II costs approximately 6 million dollars. Almost a quarter of this cost goes into two advanced, highly reliable Martin-Baker ejection seats, which have the capability for zero-zero ejection.[4]
[edit] T-6B
The T-6B variant of the Texan II was introduced in 2005. One of the most important features of the T-6B is its highly advanced, all-glass cockpit from CMC Electronics that includes a Head-Up Display (HUD), six Multi-function display (MFD) and Hands On Throttle And Stick (HOTAS).[5]
Both the Greek T-6A and the T-6B variants have the capability to carry and deploy munitions, including bombs, rockets, and wing-mountable guns. The T-6B also features additional onboard systems for combat training. The T-6B could be a versatile primary weapons trainer, or even an operational light attack aircraft, given its excellent handling characteristics and available excess thrust. According to Raytheon, the T-6B is now available for order, although a price has not been specified and no customers have been listed yet.[citation needed]
[edit] CT-156 Harvard II
The CT-156 Harvard II is a variant used for pilot instruction in the NFTC (NATO Flying Training in Canada) located at 15 Wing, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. They are leased to the Canadian Forces Air Command by the program's administrator, Bombardier. Cockpit layout, ejection protocols, and performance mimic the CT-155 Hawk jet trainer also used by the NTFC. The NFTC has 24 Harvard II aircraft owned and maintained by Bombardier.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Incidents
- Two Columbus Air Force Base T-6 Texan II primary trainers collided about 12:47 p.m. Nov. 28, 2007 near the Columbus AFB Auxiliary airfield in Shuqualak, Miss. At the time of the accident, the aircraft were conducting initial flight training operations. On-scene emergency response located and confirmed all four pilots had parachuted safely.[6]
[edit] Specifications (T-6A)
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.General characteristics
- Crew: 2, tandem seating
- Length: 33 ft 4 in (10.2 m)
- Wingspan: 33 ft 5 in (10.2 m)
- Height: 10 ft 8 in (3.3 m)
- Empty weight: 4,900 lb (2,087 kg)
- Loaded weight: 6,550 lb (2,971 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 6,500 lb (2,958 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turboprop, 1,100 shp (820 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 316 kn (Mach 0.67)
- Range: 900 nm (1,700 km)
- Service ceiling 35,000 ft (10,668 m)
- Rate of climb: 4,500 ft/min (1,372 m/min)
[edit] Additional systems
- Hydraulically operated retractable landing gear, split flaps, speed brake, and nose wheel steering for taxiing
- 28-volt electrical system with auxiliary battery
- Comprehensive environmental control system featuring heating, cooling, and air conditioning; cockpit pressurization, on-board oxygen generating system, anti-G system.
- 2 Martin-Baker ejection seats
- Canopy fracturing system operated by mild detcord and flexible linear shaped charge, actuated upon ejection, emergency ground egress, or ground rescue
- Automatic propeller control by means of power management unit and propeller interface unit
- Fully-electronic attitude, heading, and reference system; electronic instrument displays; air data computer; engine data manager
- 3-axis electric trim with trim aid device
- Integrated data acquisition and recording system (flight data recorder)
- Naval Aircraft Collision Warning System (NACWS)
[edit] References
- ^ HawkerBeechcraft Production
- ^ a b Hawker Beechcraft - T-6 is not a PC-9 Article
- ^ Biz Yahoo Onex Acquires Hawker Beechcraft Article
- ^ Global Security T-6 Texan
- ^ CMC Electronics Cockpit 4000 for Turboprop and Jet Trainers Article
- ^ Air Force Link (November 2007). T-6 Texan IIs collide. Retrieved on 2007-11-28.
[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
- PZL-130 Orlik
- T-37 Tweet
- Short Tucano
- Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano
- Pilatus PC-21
- Aermacchi M-290 RediGO
Related lists
[edit] External links
- T-6 information on the Hawker Beechcraft website Accessed 5 Oct 2007
- Canadian Forces Air Command CT-156 page
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