Aircraft Report: T-1A Jayhawk

In January 1992, the first Raytheon T-1A Jayhawk was handed over to the US Air Force (USAF) at Reese Air Force Base (AFB), Texas. The milestone occurred less than six months after the platform had made its inaugural flight and a year before the first undergraduate pilots took to the skies in it for advanced training.

A T-1A Jayhawk - serial 91-0087 (c/n TT-28) - belonging to the 99th Flying Training Squadron (FTS) 'Panthers' at Joint Base San Antonio (Randolph AFB), Texas, in flight. Note that the tail tips of the aircraft assigned to the unit are painted red in honour of the Tuskegee Airman or 'Red Tails'. USAF/Randy Martin

Following the completion of basic flying training, student pilots are identified to go into either an airlift/tanker or bomber/fighter role. Those selected for either of the former progress to train on the Jayhawk, whereas those chosen for the latter receive their training in the Northrop T-38C Talon jet trainers. The T-1A is also used to support navigator training for the USAF, US Marine Corps (USMC) and the US Navy, along with other international air arms and services.