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T-3A Firefly
The T-3A Firefly is a propeller driven aircraft used by the U.S. Air Force's Air Education and Training Command to screen pilot candidates by exposing them to military style traffic patterns, aerobatics and spins. It replaced the T-41 aircraft which is incapable of performing these maneuvers. It also teaches students takeoffs and landings, stalls, slow flight, ground operations and mission planning.
The T-3A is a Federal Aviation Regulation Part 23 aerobatically certified aircraft. It enables students to learn basic military style maneuvers which will be refined and built upon in future aircraft. The instructor sits in the left seat and the student in the right seat. The cockpit has dual throttles, stick controls, electric elevator trim and a sliding canopy.
The aircraft has a fully composite structure, an integral fuel tank in each wing and tricycle style, fixed landing gear. The fuel is automatically transferred by an engine-driven pump.
The T-3A is the newest version of Slingsby Aviation's T-67 Firefly line of military training aircraft. The prototype began flying in the summer of 1991, and the Air Force accepted delivery in February 1994. Of the total fleet of 110 T-3s which originally cost $32 million, 57 were stationed with the Air Force Academy's 557th Flying Training Squadron in Colorado Springs, with another 53 with the 3rd Flying Training Squadron in Hondo, Texas. Final assembly of the British-made T-3 was done in Hondo by Northrup Grumman.
The new introductory training program, using Federal Aviation Administration-certified schools, saved about $16 million a year in operating costs.
It also increased the training time for incoming pilots from 40 hours to 50 hours and required they earn a private pilot's license. After completing the introductory program, pilots would enter the Air Force's undergraduate pilot training programs.
The Firefly, a powerful British propeller plane capable of loops and other aerobatic maneuvers, has had reported problems with engine stalling.
The Air Force Academy suspended the plane's use in 1997 after three cadets and three instructors died in Firefly crashes over a three-year period. Two of the crashes were blamed on pilot error, and the other remains unexplained, though Pentagon officials have said the instructor should have been able to recover the plane after it stalled.
The easily maneuverable planes had been used to assess if cadets could handle the rigors of jet school. The predecessor T-41 had no fatal accidents in 30 years of flight, although the T-41 was incapable of performing the aerobatics and spins that were the hallmark of the T-3. The T-3's engine had failed 66 times at takeoff or landing, and the Air Force grounded 57 of the planes on 10 occasions due to problems with the engines, fuel systems and brakes.
Primary Function: Primary screener in specialized undergraduate pilot training
Contractors: Slingsby Aviation Ltd., and Northrop Worldwide Aircraft Services Inc.
Power Plant: One Textron Lycoming Ltd. AEIO-540-D4A5 engine
Thrust: 260 horsepower
Length: 24 feet, 9 inches (7.5 meters)
Height: 7 feet, 9 inches (2.3 meters)
Wingspan: 34 feet, 9 inches (10.6 meters)
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 2,550 pounds (1,159 kilograms)
Speed: 155 miles per hour (.21 Mach)
Ceiling: 19,000 feet (5,790 meters)
Range: 352 miles (305.89 nautical miles)
Armament: None
Crew: Two (student pilot and instructor pilot)
Unit Cost: $295,000
Date Deployed: February 1994
Inventory: Active force, 112; Reserve, 0; ANG, 0
General Characteristics
Sources
The info for this plane was taken from the following sources on the internet and all credit should go to them. If you want to know more about this aircraft, I suggest checking out these great sites.
Defense Daily-USAF Fact Sheet
Military Analysis Network
Slingsby T-3 Firefly by Emmanuel Gustin
AF replaces T-3 flying program
The Cabin
