Beechcraft T-6C Military Trainer Travels Around the Globe, Completes Successful Demo Tour

GENEVA, Switzerland (May 15, 2012) – Hawker Beechcraft Defense Company (HBDC) today announced it has completed a two-month, around-the-world demonstration tour of the T-6C Texan II military trainer, showcasing the world’s most versatile and capable integrated pilot training system to a broad range of interested prospects throughout the Asia Pacific region.

The T-6C departed HBDC’s Wichita, Kan., headquarters and followed a route that circled the globe, including stops in Canada, Greenland, Iceland, England, Italy, Greece, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, India, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan and Russia before returning to Wichita the first week of May. HBDC’s aerobatic demonstration team performed single-ship, low-altitude aerobatics in the standard equipped T-6C in the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) 75th Anniversary Air Show at RNZAF Base Ohakea at the end of March and in early April participated in the Warbirds Over Wanaka Air Show on the South Island.

“This tour allowed a wide cross-section of individuals and organizations to experience the T-6C’s capabilities,” said Russ Bartlett, HBDC vice president, Business Development. “Without exception, all commented on the ease of flying the T-6C – evidence of the aircraft’s excellent attributes for pilot training, as well as its inherent complexity in systems and maneuverability that can extend the training environment to teach and test pilots in the advanced phase of pilot training.”

On the tour, the aircraft accumulated 166 flight hours – 126 ferry flight hours and 40 demonstration flight hours – including performing seven air show display flights and 43 demonstration flights with military and government officials. The T-6C did not require any unscheduled maintenance on its around-the-world voyage and other than routine pre-flight and thru-flight inspections and refueling, The HBDC crew replaced one landing light, changed two main tires after 131 landings, performed a 100-hour inspection and added five quarts of oil. The T-6C burned 65,360 pounds of Jet A1 fuel over the course of the 166 flight hours, a burn rate of 393 pounds per hour, attesting to the low life-cycle cost the T-6C provides to military operators.

“We have a lot of confidence in the aircraft and along with the other components of the training system (the ground based training system and complete logistics support) we believe that Hawker Beechcraft’s T-6 Training System can meet the training requirements of any military air force around the world,” Bartlett said.

Deliveries of the T-6 began in 2000 after the aircraft was initially selected to fill the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System role for the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy. Since then, additional military programs worldwide, including NATO Flying Training Canada, the Hellenic Air Force of Greece, the Israeli Air Force, the Iraqi Air Force, the Royal Moroccan Air Force and our newest customer, the Mexican Air Force, have chosen the T-6 as their primary trainer. To date, the company has delivered more than 760 T-6 aircraft.

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is a world-leading manufacturer of business, special mission, light attack and trainer aircraft – designing, marketing and supporting aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide. The company’s headquarters and major facilities are located in Wichita, Kan., with operations in Little Rock, Ark.; Chester, England, U.K.; and Chihuahua, Mexico. The company leads the industry with a global network of more than 100 factory-owned and authorized service centers. For more information, visit www.hawkerbeechcraft.com.