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The Cessna Model 526 is the only all American design chasing the JPATS contract. It is also the only twin engined design
JPATS Decision Draws Near
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Jpats – The Decision Nears
With evaluations of the seven contenders for the USA’s Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) contract now in the crucial Source Selection Phase, it won’t be long before we find out who has won this large and important competition. In some ways, the programme can be regarded as revolutionary as it represents a true joint effort between the US Air Force and Navy, who will use the winning aircraft for the initial fixed wing training of all their pilots, replacing the USAF’s Cessna T-37 ‘Tweetie Bird’ and the USN’s Beech T-34C Mentor. The importance of the programme to the seven contenders can be gauged by the numbers of aircraft involved: 711 initially, divided into 372 for the USAF and 339 for the USN. Further requirements could see the number increase to 800.
Programme History
JPATS can trace its origins back to the late 1970s with the USAF’s New Generation Trainer (NGT) competition to find a replacement for the Cessna T-37, which celebrates the 40th anniversary of its maiden flight in October this year. The NGT competition called for a side by side trainer powered by two small jet engines and the Fairchild T-46 was announced as the winner in July 1982. The first T-46 flew in October 1985 and at that stage procurement of 650 aircraft was planned. Test flying of the prototype T-46 revealed a number of problems including poor performance, too much weight and serious slippage of the planned timescale. The result was that the T-46, which had been dubbed the Thunderpiglet, was cancelled in March 1987.
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