Crew chiefs ready for T-6A, sad to see Tweet leave

  • Published
  • By John Ingle
  • 80th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs officer
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Pilots at the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program are no doubt chomping at the bit to begin training in the new introductory trainer, the T-6A Texan II.

The modern and cost-efficient airframe will provide an easier transition to the T-38C Talon, the advanced trainer at the 80th Flying Training Wing, for student pilots.

But there is a group of people in the wing with some mixed emotions about the upgrade in trainers. It's not because they question the performance of the Texan II or whether it can get the job done; rather it's the long-time relationships they've had with the venerable and durable T-37 Tweets - the crew chiefs of Lear Siegler Services, Inc.

The T-37s are being phased out over the next 18 months and replaced by the Texan II. The Texan II is a tandem-seated aircraft with digital instrumentation, as compared to antiquated analog instruments in its predecessor.

Two of the longest serving crew chiefs on the flight line, Steve Chandler and Doris Castle, lauded the more than 50-year-old aircraft for its sustainability since pilot training began at the wing in the 1960s.

"The 37 has definitely been a workhorse. It's a tough airplane," said Mr. Chandler, a 25-year veteran crew chief here. "That's a long time for an aircraft."

Mr. Chandler and Ms. Castle, also a 25-year veteran crew chief, said they've seen everything from bird strikes to hail dents to rough landings throughout their years on the flight line. But no matter the damage sustained by the twin-engine, side-by-side configured aircraft, contracted maintenance personnel have always been able to get them back on the line and ready for training.

As crew chiefs here and Air Education and Training Command Crew Chief of the Year recipients, they've both enjoyed the opportunity to go up in the aircraft and experience what students and instructor pilots endure every day. It's also given them insight to the Air Force's lead-in trainer for undergraduate pilot training.

"The aerobatics they put (the pilots) through - I think they've been a very good trainer for the Air Force," Ms. Castle said. "They've definitely gotten their money's worth."

Pilots logged more than 66,000 flying hours at one of the busiest airfields in the country in fiscal year 2007, equating to more than 56,000 sorties. When comparing the old workhorse to the new kid on the block, some T-37s have more than 22,000 flying hours to not even 1,000 on the current Texan IIs here.

Other comparisons the crew chiefs have made include the high-pitched squeal of the Tweet as opposed to the solemn hum of the single-propeller Texan II; the gas guzzler versus its fuel efficient replacement; and the "scavenger hunt" for parts compared to the readily-available parts of the new aircraft.

Despite the vast differences between the old and the new, Mr. Chandler and Ms. Castle still remained true to the aircraft they've worked on and with for 25 years.

"I'm gonna miss it," Mr. Chandler said of the Tweet. "But, it's time to move on and modernize. I'm sure when the last one taxis in, it'll hit me then."

"I'll be sad to see them go because I've worked on them for so many years," Ms. Castle said.

One thing is certain about the arrival of the new trainer - it's going to be a friendly aircraft for the maintainers on the ground because it's new and won't require as much maintenance and the outdated T-37. For Ms. Castle, it's all about being familiar with your environment.

"Just like the Tweet when I first got out here, I'm a bit apprehensive," she said, but added that as she learns more about the aircraft it should get easier. "I'll probably think they should've had (the Texan II) out there a long time ago after I start working on them."

The 80th FTW currently has 74 T-37s used for training while T-6A instructor pilots have eight Texan IIs on hand to train on before training the first student this fall. The wing will receive a total of 69 T-6s over the next 18 months from Hawker Beechcraft in Wichita, Kan.