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T-6 Texan II
A USAF T-6A Texan II out of Randolph Air Force Base
Type	Trainer aircraft
Manufacturer	Raytheon Aircraft Company/Hawker Beechcraft
Primary users	United States Air Force United States Navy Canadian Forces Greek Air Force
Produced	+435[1]
Developed from	Pilatus PC-9

The T-6A Texan II is a single-engined turboprop aircraft built by the Raytheon Aircraft Company (now Hawker Beechcraft). It is used by the United States Air Force for basic pilot training and by the United States Navy for Primary and Intermediate Joint Naval Flight Officer (NFO) and Air Force Navigator / Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) training. It is replacing the Air Force's T-37B Tweet and the Navy's T-34C Turbo Mentor. The T-6A is also used as a basic trainer by the Canadian Forces (CT-156 Harvard II) and the Greek Air Force.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Variants 2.1 T-6A 2.2 T-6B 2.3 CT-156 Harvard II 3 Incidents 4 Specifications (T-6A) 4.1 Additional systems 5 References 6 External links 7 Related content 7.1 Related development 7.2 Comparable aircraft 7.3 Related lists 7.4 See also

The T-6 is a version of the Pilatus PC-9, modified significantly by Beechcraft in order to enter the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) competition in the 1990s.^[2] The aircraft was designated under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system named for the decades-earlier T-6 Texan. A similar arrangement between Pilatus and British Aerospace had also been in place for an RAF competition in the 1980s, although this competition selected the Shorts Tucano. The Beechcraft brand has since been purchased from Raytheon by Onex Corporation as Hawker Beechcraft^[3].

The Texan II is built by Hawker Beechcraft in Wichita, Kansas. Although the design is heavily based on the Pilatus PC-9, the T-6 is a complete redesign from the ground up, and is considerably more sophisticated and powerful.^[2]

The T-6A was introduced to Moody Air Force Base and Randolph Air Force Base in 2000-2001, and the Air Force awarded the full rate T-6 production contract in December 2001.Laughlin Air Force Base began flying the T-6 in 2003 where it is now the primary basic trainer, having completely replaced the venerable T-37. Vance Air Force Base completed transitioning from the T-37 to the T-6 in 2006, the same year Columbus Air Force Base began its transition. The T-6 is expected to replace all T-37s in the Air Force inventory by 2008. T-37s are still in service at Columbus and Sheppard Air Force bases.^{[citation needed]}

The T-6A also replaced all T-34s at Naval Air Station Pensacola in early 2005. T-34s are still in service at NAS Corpus Christi and NAS Whiting Field as the primary trainer.

The T-6A has been met with great approval by instructors and students alike, who praise its reliability and simplicity.^{[citation needed]} With thrust output of over 2,000 pounds at sea level and the quick power response time afforded by a turboprop, it is very forgiving.^{[citation needed]}

One Texan II costs approximately 6 million dollars. Almost a quarter of this cost goes into two advanced, highly reliable Martin-Baker ejection seats, which have the capability for zero-zero ejection^[4].

The T-6B variant of the Texan II was introduced in 2005. One of the most important features of the T-6B is its highly advanced, all-glass cockpit from CMC Electronics that includes a Head-Up Display (HUD), six Multi-function display (MFD) and Hands On Throttle And Stick (HOTAS).^[5]

Both the Greek T-6A and the T-6B variants have the capability to carry and deploy munitions, including bombs, rockets, and wing-mountable guns. The T-6B also features additional onboard systems for combat training. The T-6B could be a versatile primary weapons trainer, or even an operational light attack aircraft, given its excellent handling characteristics and available excess thrust. According to Raytheon, the T-6B is now available for order, although a price has not been specified and no customers have been listed yet.

The CT-156 Harvard II is a variant used for pilot instruction in the NFTC (NATO Flying Training in Canada) located at 15 Wing, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. They are leased to the Canadian Forces Air Command by the program's administrator, Bombardier. Cockpit layout, ejection protocols, and performance mimic the CT-155 Hawk jet trainer also used by the NTFC. The NFTC has 24 Harvard II aircraft owned and maintained by Bombardier.

• Two Columbus Air Force Base T-6 Texan II primary trainers collided about 12:47 p.m. Nov. 28, 2007 near the Columbus AFB Auxiliary airfield in Shuqualak, Miss. At the time of the accident, the aircraft were conducting initial flight training operations. On-scene emergency response located and confirmed all four pilots have parachuted safely. ^[6]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2, tandem seating
• Length: 33 ft 4 in (10.2 m)
• Wingspan: 33 ft 5 in (10.2 m)
• Height: 10 ft 8 in (3.3 m)
• Empty weight: 4,600 lb (2,087 kg)
• Loaded weight: 6,500 lb (2,900 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turboprop, 1,100 shp (820 kW)

• Propeller: Hartzell 4-bladed variable pitch constant-speed propeller at 2,000 rpm)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 316 kn (573 km/h)
• Range: 900 nmi (1,700 km)
• Service ceiling: 35,000 ft (10,668 m)

• Hydraulically operated retractable landing gear, split flaps, speed brake, and nose wheel steering
• 28-volt electrical system with auxiliary battery
• Comprehensive environmental control system featuring heating, cooling, and air conditioning; cockpit pressurization, on-board oxygen generating system, anti-G system.
• 2 Martin-Baker ejection seats
• Canopy fracturing system operated by mild detcord and flexible linear shaped charge, actuated upon ejection, emergency ground egress, or ground rescue
• Automatic propeller control by means of power management unit and propeller interface unit
• Fully-electronic attitude, heading, and reference system; electronic instrument displays; air data computer; engine data manager
• 3-axis electric trim with trim aid device
• Integrated data acquisition and recording system (flight data recorder)
• Naval Aircraft Collision Warning System (NACWS)

• T-6 information on the Hawker Beechcraft website Accessed 5 Oct 2007
• Canadian Armed Forces Air Command (Air Force).

• Pilatus PC-9

• T-37 Tweet
• Short Tucano
• Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano
• Pilatus PC-21
• Aermacchi M-290 RediGO
• US Aircraft A-67 Dragon

Designation sequence

• US:
  • old T-1 - new T-1 - T-2 - T-3 - T-6
• CF:
  • - CT-155 Hawk - CT-156 -

• List of active Canadian military aircraft

v • d • e Canadian Forces Air Command

Fighter aircraft: CF-188 Hornet Patrol aircraft: CP-140 Aurora/CP-140A Arcturus Helicopters: CH-124 Sea King • CH-139 JetRanger • CH-146 Griffon • CH-149 Cormorant Cargo aircraft: CC-115 Buffalo • CC-130 Hercules • CC-138 Twin Otter • CC-144 Challenger • CC-150 Polaris • CC-177 Globemaster III Trainer aircraft: CT-114 Tutor • CT-142 Dash 8 • CT-155 Hawk • CT-156 Harvard II UAVs: CU-161 Sperwer Possible Future Aircraft: CH-47 Chinook • CH-148 Cyclone • C-130 Hercules • F-35 Lightning II • Alenia C-27J Wings: 1 Wing Kingston • 3 Wing Bagotville • 4 Wing Cold Lake • 5 Wing Goose Bay • 8 Wing Trenton • 9 Wing Gander • 12 Wing Shearwater • 14 Wing Greenwood • 15 Wing Moose Jaw • 16 Wing Borden • 17 Wing Winnipeg • 19 Wing Comox • 22 Wing North Bay

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