MISSION

The T-6A Texan II is a single-engine, two-seat primary trainer designed to train Joint Primary Pilot Training (JPPT) students in basic flying skills common to U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots.

FEATURES

Produced by Raytheon Aircraft, the T-6A Texan II is a military trainer version of Raytheon's Beech/Pilatus PC-9 Mk II.

The T-6A has a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turbo-prop engine that delivers 1,100 horsepower. Because of its excellent thrust-to-weight ratio, the aircraft can perform an initial climb of 3,100 feet (944.8 meters) per minute and can reach 18,000 feet (5,486.4 meters) in less than six minutes.

Stepped-tandem seating in the single cockpit places one crewmember in front of the other, with the student and instructor positions being interchangeable. A pilot may also fly the aircraft alone from the front seat. Pilots enter the T-6A cockpit through a side-opening, one-piece canopy that has demonstrated resistance to bird strikes at speeds up to 270 knots. The cockpit is pressurized to permit training at higher, less-congested altitudes and reduce the stress on student pilots. Furthermore, the aircraft is equipped with an onboard oxygen-generating system that reduces the time needed to service the aircraft between flights.

The aircraft is fully aerobatic and features an anti-G system, ejection seat and an advanced avionics package with sunlight-readable liquid crystal displays. The T-6A's tricycle-type landing-gear is hydraulically retracted through electric controls and is equipped with both differential brakes and nose-wheel steering. The aircraft is fitted with electrically controlled, hydraulically operated, split flaps used for takeoff and landing. All flight controls are manually activated with electrically activated trim controls. Flight controls and avionics can be operated from both cockpits. The T-6A Texan II is a low-wing training aircraft approved for night and day Visual Flight Range (VFR) and Instrument Flight Range (IFR) flight and has a cockpit designed to accommodate a wide range of pilots.

BACKGROUND

On Feb. 5, 1996, Raytheon was awarded the JPATS acquisition and support contracts. The first operational T-6A arrived at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, in May 2000. Full rate production of the contract was awarded in December 2001.

Instructor pilot training in the T-6A began at Randolph in 2000. JPPT began in October 2001 at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Seven hundred and forty T-6A aircraft were be purchased by the United States Air Force and the United States Navy. The Air Force and Navy transition to the T-6A is expected to take approximately 10 years. The Air Force will steadily replace T-37s with T-6s at all Air Education and Training Command joint specialized undergraduate pilot training bases.

The T-6A supports a variety of joint flight-training programs, including joint primary pilot training for entry-level aviation students. It provides the skills necessary for pilots to progress to one of five training tracks: a bomber/fighter track (T-38); a strike track (T-45); an airlift/tanker track (T-1A); a maritime track (T-44); or a helicopter track. It also will support joint navigator and naval flight officer training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. The T-6A is also scheduled to support Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) provided by Air Education and Training Command at Sheppard AFB, Texas.