T-6 Texan II news

[Dave Shutter]

Just got back from NAS Willow Grove and all I got to say is HOLY SH*T!

Call it either obsession for the morbid or a huge public outpouring of support for the Armed Forces after last years F-14 crash but the turnout at the base today for the Blues (and pretty much nothing else) was unimaginable! I've never been to a show this packed. I think the news said something like over a hundred thousand people. We got there late and waited in bumper to bumper traffic for an hour just to go a mile through town! Saw parts of the F-15 demo with Snodgrass coming up in his Saber for a heritage flight at various red lights though. We made it in time for Fat Albert and the Blues but only after walking about two miles (uphill) because the base had been closed to cars. Too many of them.

Very cool performance on their part. # 4, LTCDR Hobson I believe, landed halfway through the show, stopped in almost no time, turned around in the middle of the runway and gassed it back to their parking area. Not even two minutes later he was in #7 (the two seater) tearing down the runway to join the other three diamond planes just in time for the finale. My girlfriend was amazed: "They keep a spare plane handy?" Yes they do! I'm sure we'll never know what problem put him on the ground in the first place but to think that when it does happen that they do a hot switch and are back in the air in minutes executing the rest of the routine is remarkable. I can't begin to image the behind the scenes work that goes on at their shows!

Now to the purpose to this post: Saw a T-6 Texan for the first time today, that's one hell of a prop plane! About the same size as a T-34 but a hell of a lot sleeker! I talked to the IP who came from Vance and he said it's amazing to fly! I asked about SNA's going to Moody for the T-6 and he said they have started a few. I think he mentioned a few Navy guys going through Vance too but that's the first I've heard of that.

Here's the bad news, he said the Navy officially dropped out of their participation in the T-6 program over $$$ two weeks ago so they will not be buying them in the near future. He said the Navy plans to "re-evaluate" the situation in about five years. That's just what I heard from an AF Capt. though, grain of salt, but has anyone else heard or read anything more official???

(OC) Shutter SNA, 48 days to Poopie week!

 

[Frumby]

The T-6 is a beautiful bird. Ironic, the Navy started the program and it got shoved down the Air Force's throat in the name of "Jointness." What a turnaround. I'm sure the Navy is backing out in the name of funding but my personal opinion is they want the Air Force to work the bugs out. Last I heard the Air Force has lost 5 already. The Navy is still licking her wounds from the worthless T-45A "Chickenhawk," I'm sure she's not ready to test fly another Training Command aircraft. Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMC

 

[Mahler]

While at ACES a few months ago, the CO of API came in and talked to us. One of the things he touched on was the T-6 issue. He said the Navy decided not to buy the T-6's so they can get some more T-45's at Meridian. Well, that's just what I was told... who knows.

James

 

[celaine]

Yeah, the T-6 is a gorgeous bird. Especially the older ones Personal bias, there...my apologies. I just love the way they sound. At POPE AFB's show this year, I recorded a 4 ship flyby on my cell phone...played that for people everywhere I went. Mostly, my victims seemed to think I was mentally unstable...but 4 radials, prop tips breaking the sound barrier...how can a person not get jazzed about that?

I'm not that familiar with the newer ones, although they look extremely cool.

 

[petescheu]

Just came from Moody with the T-6. Got about 95 hours in it or so... def an amazing plane. Totally in love with the avionics package that they have with the glass cockpit, etc. Makes flying instruments really easy, especially with the composite function they have where you can put basically everything you need for flying V-airways, jetways, VORs, ILS, etc all on one screen. All you gotta do is cross check a/s & alt, and they are just to the either side of that one. Flying GPS approaches too is pretty much a joke with the moving map they have... Plus the thing has oodles of power, although supposedly it has the same thrust to weight ratio of the T-34, but don't know enough to say that for a fact. Always nice to have the black and yellow handle when the ship really hits the span. Not sure if the talk about them losing 5 already is legit, all the IPs I've talked to here said only one has gone down, and that's because the pilot flying it (for the first time, I guess it was some LtCol) didn't realize that if you pull the cutoff gate when you try and pull the PCL to idle, the engine shuts down, and when you're under 2000 feet, that's not such a good idea. So they had to punch, not because of anything wrong with the plane, just cause they made that mistake. They were fine though from what i heard, no worries at all. They have had a few chip lights, but that's the confidential accident reports that shouldn't be on the internet. Not sure they've had too many other problems here other than the little things that I'm sure the T-34s have all the time, just like every other plane. Kinda a shame the Navy is pulling out of the program for now at least, I'm sure everyone at Whiting & Corpus would have liked the plane, although I can't comment compared to the T-34 since I only have like an hour in that thing. It was def fun though flying a T-6 with 6.3 hours on it... still had the new plane smell. Even better than the new car smell... can't beat it.
shoo

 

[Dave Shutter]

Chip light in a brand new T-6, hmmm? We had a safety standown today and went over recent mishaps. lots of RGB problems and various oil sys. malfunctions lately. No one seems to know why but the "educated guess" I've heard is they maybe doing something wrong in the overhaul process.

Celaine, got your e-mail. I'll get back to you.

 

[Turgon]

Interesting... does anyone here actually know what there talking about? The Navy is NOT re-evaluating it's position in regards to the T-6. The days of the T-34 are numbered. Currently, the T-6 is replacing the T-34 at NAS Pensacola, they will begin replacing T-34's at Whiting in 2008 and Corpus in 2010.
As for the T-6's performance... well... fantastic! It pulls G's very nicely... a very smooth ride... and cruising at FL260 enroute from JAX to NPA.... well, lets just say that the view is awesome.
The Texan 2 is the future of Naval air training and it begins the Cradle of Naval Aviation! And I am among the 60 or so snfo's currently training at VT-10 and VT-4 and I'm lovin it.

 

[EA-6B1]

Uh, what's Beta mean?

 

[squeeze]

negative pitch... think thrust reverser for a turbo prop
T-34 is -5 degrees

 

[ChuckMK23]

You mean the T-6 does NOT have beta? Brakes alone? Are you kidding?

 

[squeeze]

No, the T-6 does not have Beta. The USAF (joint-venture, remember) didn't need beta in their trainers as they seem to have a plethora of 12,000 ft runways. The problem is, the Navy's outlying fields are mostly just short of 5,000 ft - too short to do ops with a non-beta a/c (apparently some reg). But, the real estate around those OLF's is too expensive to buy so they can pour new runways to accomodate the T-6. So, there is a real lack of OLFs if they adopted the T-6. Seeing as they are wanting to build more OLFs just to accomodate the T-34s, I'd imagine they would build the new ones to either a) work with the current T-6 design or b) use the same runway setups, but expect a new T-6 design.

The Navy will need to get a replacement for the T-34 soon - many are g-limited to prolong their service life. I'm sure the T-6 will be it, but it will likely be another variant (T-6B maybe?) equipped with beta. It's also a little odd how they have essentially given up looking for new trainer designs vice using the Goshawk, and PC-9 - neither an American design.

 

[squeeze]

I realized i just restated a bunch of what Patmack said.... ah well

/too lazy to delete

 

[ChuckMK23]

I can think of no other production turboprop aircraft that lacks the ability to reverse prop pitch (Beta) for ground operations.

How totally moronic.

But you know in some ways, it fits with airforce thinking.

It wasn't until well after I was winged and in the fleet that I realized the AF flies aircraft with a totally different mentality than we do.

I saw a copy of the Primary FTI online and I see that there is a whole other additional syllabus for USAF just to "re-blue" them into the Air Force way of flying - but doing it in a T-34. Standing at attention during briefs, doing VFR work in some radial/dme slice, etc etc

Maybe Joint Primary training isn't such a good idea after all.

 

[Vic]

I'm not to crazy about it, but the T-6 is a nice airplane. I'd be better with BETA and a navy paint job!

 

[petescheu]

Yeah, Beta would have been nice, although I never had a problem stopping on any runway we ever landed on, and that included when we came into Sherman on a xtry. The brakes suck from what I heard the instructors saying (obviously at that point in training I had nothing to compare it to) but I hear they are talking about adding anti-skid, although who knows if that's legit. Dry runway TOLD though was usually (and Vic correct me if I'm wrong, it's been a bit) 1520/ROT/2780, not sure what T-34 landing is (I'm sure it's probably a good bit less than this), but on a dry runway this thing can still land in under 3000 feet.
BTW Vic, you'll be more crazy about the T-6 by the time you hit form solo, trust me (speaking of solo have you done the tank yet?). You'll be in love with the thing then. If I had 5 million I'd def buy one of those. Although that would require me having 5 million... details... details...