OPINION: AF’s forgotten trainer

In an effort to replace the T-38 trainer with the T-X, the Air Force is headed toward overspending billions of dollars to keep the T-1A Jayhawk forgotten trainer in service until 2050. It is supposedly already past its economic life-shelf and would be cheaper to replace than sustain and upgrade. Last year, about half the T-1A fleet was grounded for repairs to horizontal stabilizer rib cracks. On average, the aircraft had flown some 10,000 of an 18,000-hour service life. Mission-capability rates are running at about 80 percent or less for years. Fleet operations and maintenance costs are running around $400M annually. Over the next 30 years, the AF projects it will have to spend $12B to sustain the T-1A plus service-life extensions and upgrades. With a pilot shortage, the AF wants to significantly increase its number annually. Due to its age, the AF could save billions by replacing the T-1A with a new, off-the-shelf business jet to meet ever-increasing training requirements. With its low mission-capable rates and repair needs, there is little margin to increase T-1A training output. Currently, T-1As are being shuffled between bases to meet critical class schedules. (Source: Aviation Week OPINION 03/03/17) Gulf Coast Note: Columbus (Miss.) AFB’s 48th Flying Training Squadron has had as many as 47 T-1A Jayhawks as of 2015 for the purpose of pilot training.