GENERAL

The T-6A Texan II is a single-engine, two-place tandem seat, low-wing, and pressurized aircraft specifically designed as a primary trainer.  It is derived from the Pilatus PC-9 design but is manufactured by the Raytheon Aircraft Company in Wichita, KS.   A Pratt and Whitney PT6A-68 turboprop powers the plane allowing it to fly to a max airspeed of 316 KIAS/0.67M at a max service ceiling of 31,000 ft (the max speed of 316 KIAS is only up to 18,769 ft above which the mach becomes the limiting factor).  It has a four-bladed constant speed, variable pitch propeller producing 2,900 foot pounds of torque on the shaft which is equivalent to 3,400 pounds of thrust at sea level.  Raytheon advertised that the aircraft can reach 18,000 ft in under six minutes which is a tremendous improvement over its predecessor, the Cessna T-37.

HISTORY

Before being formally named in 1997, the T-6A was first identified in a 1989 Department of Defense Trainer Aircraft Master Plan as the aircraft portion of the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System, or JPATS. The system includes an integrated suite of simulators, training devices and computer management system.

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.

The T-6A will be used to train joint specialized undergraduate pilot training students in their primary training phase, providing the basic skills necessary to progress to one of four training tracks: the Air Force bomber-fighter track, the Air Force airlift-tanker or Navy maritime track, the Navy strike track or the Air Force-Navy helicopter track.

The T-6A is currently operating at Randolph AFB, Moody AFB, Laughlin AFB, Vance AFB, and Columbus AFB, and Pensacola NAS.  T-6A operations at Moody AFB is slated to shut down on April 2007 with its planes being redistributed to Columbus AFB.  The U.S. Navy will be accepting delivery of the T-6B with advanced avionics to Whiting Field beginning in mid-2008 as a replacement to the T-34C Mentor.  The USAF has no plans to obtain the T-6B.

CHARACTERISTICS

Primary Function: Primary trainer in joint specialized undergraduate pilot training
Builder: Raytheon Aircraft
Power Plant: 1,708 horsepower Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turbo-prop engine
Wingspan: 33.5 feet (10.19 meters)
Length: 33.4 feet (10.16 meters)
Height: 10.7 feet (3.23 meters)
Speed: 350 miles per hour
Standard Basic Empty Weight: 4,900 pounds (2,222.6 kilograms)
Ceiling: 35,000 feet (10,668 meters)
Range: 900 nautical miles (1,667 kilometers)
Crew: Two, student pilot and instructor pilot
Armament: None
Date Deployed: May 2000
Unit Cost: $4.5 million
Inventory: Active force, 372 aircraft by 2010 (current acquisition plans)

Note:  This information was obtained from the USAF factsheets.

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