First T-38 Talon Trainer Has Flown South To Florida For Latest Upgrade
The post First T-38 Talcom. View of a U. S. Air Force Northrop T-38 Talon jet trainer. Bettmann Archive Even as the United States Air Force expects the T-7A Red Hawk to enter service in 2028, after the first aircraft arrives at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, the service will continue to ensure that its aging Northrop T-38 Talons will remain in operation as the primary fixed-wing aircraft for advanced jet pilot training for years to come. The Air Force announced that the first Talon arrived at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast in Jacksonville, Florida, on Monday for overhaul and repair as part of the Talon Repair, Inspection, and Maintenance program. The TRIM program is the Air Force’s repair initiative charged with inspecting aging aircraft and replacing structural components as necessary. Each aircraft will receive more than 6, 000 hours of maintenance before being returnee to their home units. The goal is to get an additional five to 10 years out of the aircraft until the Red Hawk fleet is in the nest. Old Aircraft, But Still Flying The twin-engine, high-altitude, supersonic jet trainer continues to prepare pilots to fly front-line fighter and bomber aircraft. Nearly 1, 200 were built between 1961 and 1972, and approximately 567 are still flying. Most, if not all, of those aircraft are likely older than the pilots being trained on them, and the Talons are possibly older than many of the pilots’ parents! More than 72, 000 US Air Force pilots have trained on the Talon, which has undergone numerous upgrades over its more than six decades in service. The Air Education and Training Command began receiving the T-38C models in 2001 as part of the Air Force’s Avionics Upgrade Program, which outfitted the Talons with many of the features found in modern jets and bombers, including a heads-up display, GPS, and an inertial. Continue reading First T-38 Talon Trainer Has Flown South To Florida For Latest Upgrade