Final T-6B Texan II arrives at Whiting Field

The final Beechcraft T-6B Texan II single-engine turboprop aircraft for Training Air Wing 5 (TRAWING-5) has arrived at the US Navy's Naval Air Station Whiting Field, the navy announced on 22 June.

This is the second-last T-6B for the navy, with Naval Air Station Corpus Christi scheduled to receive the final unit later this month.

TRAWING-5 received its first T-6B in 2009 to replace its T-34 Turbomentor fleet, which was officially phased out in 2012. The aircraft has digital glass cockpit display, heads-up display, and ejection seat. 

The T-6B is the first aircraft student aviators in the maritime services fly. During a 28-week programme - including 43 flight events, 75 flight hours, and 36 simulator events - the students are trained in the basic foundations of aviation. The programme is followed by students moving onto the navy's more advanced training platforms and eventually their fleet aircraft. 

Cmdr Patrick Beam, chief staff officer, said: 'As of today, Training Air Wing 5 now has 148 Texan II's.  Each was $5.5 million, so that's almost a billion dollars on North Field's flight line.'

Capt Mark Murray, commodore of TRAWING-5, said: 'In the foreseeable future, I can see the T-6B in use for another two or three decades. The T-6B cockpit and avionics suite is designed to better facilitate the transition to increasingly sophisticated follow-on training and fleet aircraft, as well as keep pace with emerging air traffic control regulations.'