Navy jet trainer fleet operations remain paused after engine mishap

Navy jet trainer fleet operations remain paused after engine mishap
Navy jet trainer fleet operations remain paused after engine mishap

One week after the incident, a Navy spokesperson says the service is continuing to assess the fleet’s ability to safely resume flight.

Textron, Leonardo bank on M-346 global experience in looming race for Navy trainer

Textron, Leonardo bank on M-346 global experience in looming race for Navy trainer
Textron, Leonardo bank on M-346 global experience in looming race for Navy trainer

“The strength we think we bring is that [the Navy is] going to go from contract to actually starting to turn out students much quicker than any other competitors,” a Textron executive told Breaking Defense.

Boeing, Navy Discuss T-7A As Goshawk Replacement

Boeing, Navy Discuss T-7A As Goshawk Replacement
Boeing, Navy Discuss T-7A As Goshawk Replacement

The Navy has “no program of record right now” to replace its T-45 trainers, said Chuck Dabundo, Boeing VP for T-7 programs, but the company is “working closely with them in answering questions” about the T-7A Red Hawk’s capabilities.

Air Force T-6s Return to Flight; OBOGS Monitoring Cited

Air Force T-6s Return to Flight; OBOGS Monitoring Cited
Air Force T-6s Return to Flight; OBOGS Monitoring Cited

CORRECTED: Removed Reference To AT-6, Which Is Not Derived From T-6  WASHINGTON: The basic training plane for Air Force pilots, the propeller-driven T-6 Texan, is returning to flight almost one month after being grounded after a series of unexplained physiological events (what we used to call suspected hypoxia incidents). As is the case with most such…

Navy T-45 Trainers Will Return To Flight In July With Air Supply Fix

Navy T-45 Trainers Will Return To Flight In July With Air Supply Fix
Navy T-45 Trainers Will Return To Flight In July With Air Supply Fix

Navy flight training will resume in July when T-45 Goshawk trainers receive fixes to their troubled air supply, the three-star Commander, Naval Air Forces said this week. The aircraft had been flying only limited flights at low altitude for fear an oxygen-deprived pilot would become disoriented and crash. Now, instructors will start flying again in…

Hypoxia Worries ‘Top Issue’ For Boeing Defense CEO; Cobham Tech Unveiled

Hypoxia Worries ‘Top Issue’ For Boeing Defense CEO; Cobham Tech Unveiled
Hypoxia Worries ‘Top Issue’ For Boeing Defense CEO; Cobham Tech Unveiled

PARIS: Boeing Defense’s new CEO, Leanne Caret, told me this afternoon that investigating suspected hypoxia cases is “a top priority for Boeing,” and she is receiving weekly briefings on the issue. Pilots are supposed to be tough physical specimens who can handle 9 Gs and still think fast. But flying at altitude — often in…

Navy Can’t Find ‘Culprit’ Of T-45s Suspected Hypoxia; Mattis Pledges Afghan Strategy

Navy Can’t Find ‘Culprit’ Of T-45s Suspected Hypoxia; Mattis Pledges Afghan Strategy
Navy Can’t Find ‘Culprit’ Of T-45s Suspected Hypoxia; Mattis Pledges Afghan Strategy

WASHINGTON: The Navy hasn’t been able to process 25 prospective pilots for each of the last three months as it struggles to find the cause of what may be hypoxia episodes afflicting many T-45 pilots. The service has not been able to ferret out what is causing them to suffer from headaches and other symptoms. Vice Adm. Paul Grosklags, the…

JPO Launches Team To Look At 5 F-35A Luke AFB Hypoxia Events

JPO Launches Team To Look At 5 F-35A Luke AFB Hypoxia Events
JPO Launches Team To Look At 5 F-35A Luke AFB Hypoxia Events

WASHINGTON:  The two Air Force F-35As scheduled to cross the Atlantic Ocean and fly at the Paris Air Show are still scheduled to go after Luke Air Force Base declared a one-day stand-down to brief pilots on five apparent hypoxia incidents afflicting pilots there since May 2. “The F-35 Joint Program Office, along with the U.S.…

New Problems Hit T-45; Navy Tightens Flight Limits

New Problems Hit T-45; Navy Tightens Flight Limits
New Problems Hit T-45; Navy Tightens Flight Limits

Days after the Navy’s T-45 Goshawk trainers returned to flight under strict safety restrictions because of problems with their air supply, the service felt compelled to make them even stricter. An aircrew’s report of “minor headaches” prompted the tighter limits, a Navy spokesperson told Breaking Defense. Only one flight out of 92 over 48 hours reported such…