An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Air Force T-6A Texan II flies 250,000th hour

  • Published
  • By Megan Orton
  • Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs
The Air Force's T-6A Texan II primary trainer aircraft flew its 250,000th hour Dec. 14.

A single aircraft or pilot cannot be credited with the milestone, as approximately 50 Air Force T-6A's were simultaneously in the air when the hour was crossed.

The single-engine, two-seat T-6A is designed to train future Air Force and Navy pilots in basic flying skills and is the first aircraft student pilots fly before going on to advanced trainers. The T-6 flew its first hour with Air Education and Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, in 2000.

Primary flying training requirements drive the largest number of flying hours and sorties in AETC, said Mr. Steve Martin, Headquarters AETC Plans and Programs Joint Primary Aircraft Training System program manager.

The Navy anticipates its T-6A's to reach 50,000 total flying training hours in the upcoming months, which will give the aircraft a total of over 300,000 military flying training hours by April 2006.

"A quarter of a million hours in the air is an impressive figure, especially since we are only a bit more than half way through transition from the T-37 to the T-6," said Mr. Jim Nelson, AETC flying hour program manager.

The T-37 Tweet, which has been used in pilot training since 1956, is being gradually phased out as the T-6 becomes the newest entry-level trainer for the Air Force.

"Although the T-37 has proven itself as a real work horse for Air Force pilot training, as we cross the 250,000 hour mark in the T-6A, I'm confident we have the right mix of equipment and teamwork required to meet our long term needs," Mr. Martin said. "The T-6A Texan II and the JPATS training system are already demonstrating that we have the ability to produce even better trained pilots for the future of the U.S. Air Force."

One big advantage of the T-6A is the cockpit display, Mr. Nelson said. The digital glass cockpit display is similar to the instrumentation in the aircraft the pilots will fly during their career and features sunlight-readable liquid crystal displays.

"The T-6 brings training systems into the 21st century," Mr. Nelson said.