https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_T-6_Texan_II
The Beechcraft T-6 Texan II is a single-engine turboprop aircraft built by the
Raytheon Aircraft Company (which became Hawker Beechcraft and later Beechcraft
Defense Company, and was bought by Textron Aviation in 2014). A trainer aircraft
based on the Pilatus PC-9, the T-6 has replaced the Air Force's Cessna T-37B
Tweet and the Navy's T-34C Turbo Mentor. The T-6A is used by the United States
Air Force for basic pilot training and Combat Systems Officer (CSO) training and
by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps for primary Naval
Aviator training as well as primary and intermediate Naval Flight Officer (NFO)
training. The T-6A is also used as a basic trainer by the Royal Canadian Air
Force (CT-156 Harvard II), the Greek Air Force, the Israeli Air Force (Efroni),
and the Iraqi Air Force. The T-6B is the primary trainer for U.S. student naval
aviators. The T-6C is used for training by the Mexican Air Force, Royal Air
Force, Royal Moroccan Air Force, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
The Model 3000/T-6 is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with enclosed tandem
seating for two. It is powered by single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68
turboprop engine in tractor configuration with a four-bladed constant speed
propeller and has a retractable tricycle landing gear. The aircraft is fitted
with Martin-Baker Mark 16 ejection seats and a canopy fracturing system.
The T-6 is a development of the Pilatus PC-9, modified significantly by
Beechcraft to enter the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS)
competition in the 1990s. A similar arrangement between Pilatus and British
Aerospace had also been in place for a Royal Air Force competition in the 1980s,
although that competition selected the Short Tucano. The aircraft was designated
under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system and named
for the decades-earlier T-6 Texan.
Role
Trainer aircraft
National origin
United States
Manufacturer
Raytheon Aircraft Company
Beechcraft Defense Company
First flight
2000
Introduction
2001
Status
In production
Primary users
United States Air Force
United States Navy
Royal Canadian Air Force
Hellenic Air Force
Produced
Number built
over 850
Unit cost
US$4.272 million
Developed from
Pilatus PC-9
On 9 April 2007, the U.S. Department of Defense released their Selected
Acquisition Reports, which reported that the T-6 JPATS program was one of only
initial estimates, which is referred to as a "Nunn-McCurdy Breach" after the
Nunn-McCurdy Amendment. It is unusual for a program so far into full-rate
production to experience significant enough cost overruns to trigger this
congressional notification.
The Texan failed to qualify for the Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance program,
because the USAF mailed the exclusion notice to the wrong address, leaving the
company with no time to protest the decision. But the official mail failure gave
Hawker-Beechcraft a further legal justification, as they had told the USAF they
planned to file a legal challenge even before the official notice had been
mailed and brought its considerable political influence to bear against the USAF
decision against their candidate with one Kansas Congressman stating, "It is
simply wrong for the Obama administration to hire a Brazilian company to handle
national security when we have a qualified and competent American company that
can do the job." In 2013, Beechcraft was once again the loser.
Specifications (T-6A)
General characteristics
Crew: one
Capacity: one passenger
Length: 33 ft 4 in (10.16 m)
Wingspan: 33 ft 5 in (10.19 m)
Height: 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
Wing area: 177.5 sq ft (16.49 m2)
Aspect ratio: 6.29:1
Empty weight: 4,707 lb (2,135 kg)
Gross weight: 6,300 lb (2,858 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 6,500 lb (2,948 kg)
Fuel capacity: 149.0 Imp gal (677.5 liters, 1200lbs)
Propellers: 4-bladed Hartzell HC-E4A-2 Hub with E9612 blades, 8 ft 1 in (2.46 m)
diameter
Performance
Cruise speed: 320 mph (515 km/h; 278 kn)
Never exceed speed: 364 mph (586 km/h; 316 kn)
Range: 1,036 mi; 1,667 km (900 nmi)
Service ceiling: 31,000 ft (9,400 m)
g limits: +7.0g -3.5g
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