Field Aerospace has recently completed installs for the T-1A aircraft avionics modification programme (AMP). The goal of the AMP is to address avionics obsolescence issues in order to increase aircraft availability and decrease sustainment costs.
The project was managed out of Tinker Air Force Base for the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The work was performed at Field’s Oklahoma City facility. A total of 73 T-1As were modified, making this the largest modification line completed by Field to date. The final aircraft returned to its home station in January 2023.
The T-1A Jayhawk is a medium-range, twin-engine jet trainer used by AETC to train future pilots of the Air Force’s airlift and tanker aircraft including the KC-135, KC-10, KC-46 and C-130. The project included the full avionics upgrade and required updating an existing Beechjet 400A FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) to accommodate the design differences between the commercial aircraft and the USAF T-1A.
“This was a great opportunity for us,” says Paul Berry, T-1A Programme Manager. “We had done this type of work before, but not for the T-1A. Our team quickly identified opportunities for improving the process and delivered quality work, on time and on budget for our USAF customer.”
Field performed prototype, low-rate initial production, and full-rate, production installs. At the programmes peak, Field had nine T-1As onsite being modified at the same time. Field led the team with Rockwell Collins, Nextant Aerospace and Flight Safety International as subcontractors.
