Colombia receives first two T-6C Texan IIs

The Fuerza Aérea Colombiana (FAC, Colombian Air Force) has taken delivery of its first two Beechcraft T-6C Texan II single-engine turboprop training aircraft.

Colombian AF T-6C digital rendering [FAC (Colombian AF)]
A digital rendering depicting a Beechcraft T-6C Texan II in-flight. Note the platform is sporting a FAC colour scheme. FAC (Colombian Air Force)

The aircraft – serials FAC2350 (formerly N2878B) and FAC2351 (formerly N2804B) – left the factory in Wichita, Kansas, on May 4 and had arrived in Vera Cruz, Mexico, by May 6 – from where they departed the same day. However, FAC2351 appears to have had a problem and subsequently returned to Wichita. Meanwhile, FAC2350 continued on its delivery flight via Tapachula International Airport, Mexico; Liberia, Costa Rica; and Panama City, Panama; before arriving in Bogotá, Colombia, on May 8.

The delayed FAC2351 left Wichita again on May 11 and finally arrived in Bogotá on May 13. In FAC service, the T-6C Texan IIs will replace the air arm’s Cessna T-37B fleet. The number of T-6Cs ordered by Colombia has yet to be confirmed, but it is expected to be approximately eight aircraft.