Trainers - military aircraft used for training purposes - Brief Article

All Hands, Jan, 2001

T-34C Turbomentor

The T-34C is the Navy's aircraft for primary pilot and navigator training. Six training squadrors are equipped with the Turbomentor. As of mid-1998, 313 T-34Cs remained in service, along with one NT-34C developmental aircraft. The Raytheon T-6A Texan TI will replace the T-34C beginning in 2003.

WINGSPAN: 33 ft., 4 in.

LENGTH: 28 ft., 8.5 in.

HEIGHT: 9 ft., 11 in.

WEIGHT: 4,274 lbs. maximum takeoff

SPEED: 288 mph

RANGE: 650 nm

CEILING: more than 30,000 ft.

CREW: 2 (one instructor, one student)

T-45A Goshawk

The T-45A Goshawk, a carrier-capable trainer aircraft, is replacing the T-2C Buckeye and TA-4J Skyhawk as the Navy's strike trainer. The Navy has 187 T-45s in service.

WINGSPAN: 30 ft., 9.75 in.

LENGTH: 39 ft., 4 in.

HEIGHT: 14 ft.

WEIGHT: 14,081 lbs. maximum takeoff

SPEED: 625 mph

RANGE: 826 nm

CEILING: 40,000 ft.

CREW: 2 (one instructor, one student)

T-2 Buckeye

The T-2 is a two-seat trainer used to school pilots and flight officers in basic and intermediate strike training.

WINGSPAN: 38 ft., 1.5 in.

LENGTH: 38 ft., 3.5 in.

HEIGHT: 14 ft., 9.5 in.

WEIGHT: 13,179 lbs. maximum takeoff

SPEED: 522 mph

RANGE: 909 nm

CEILING: 40,400 ft.

CREW: 2 (one instructor, one student)

T-44A Pegasus

The T-44A is used to train Navy and Air Force pilots to fly multi-engine, turbo-prop aircraft such as the P-3 and the C-130.

WINGSPAN: 45 ft., 10.75 in.

LENGTH: 39 ft., 9.5 in.

HEIGHT: 5 ft., 1.75 in.

WEIGHT: 10,950 lbs. maximum takeoff

SPEED: 267 mph

RANGE: 960 mph

CEILING: 31,000 ft.

CREW: 2 (one instructor, one student)

T-4J Skyhawk

The TA-4J two-seat two-seat trainer version of the famous A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft serves in one training squadron and one fleet composite squadron. As of mid-1998, 51 TA-4Js remained in service. The Skyhawk is being replaced in the pilot training role by the T-45 A/C Goshawk.

WINGSPAN: 27 ft., 6 in.

LENGTH: 40 ft., 3.25 in.

HEIGHT: 15 ft.

WEIGHT: 24,500 lbs. maximum takeoff

SPEED: 675 mph

RANGE: 1,785 nm

CREW: 2 (one instructor, one student)

T-39N Sabreliner

The seven T-39N Sabreliners in service are used to train naval flight officers in radar navigation and airborne radar-intercept procedures. These aircraft, replaced the Cessna T-47A during the early 19902; the T-47As had replaced earlier T-39Ds in the training role. One T-39D rapid-response airlift Sabreliner remained in service as of mid-1998.

WINGSPAN: 44 ft., 5.25 in.

LENGTH: 48 ft., 4 in.

HEIGHT: 16 ft.

WEIGHT: 20,000 lbs. maximum takeoff

SPEED: Mach 8

RANGE: 1,777 nm

CEILING: 27,000 ft.

CREW: 2 (one instructor, one student)