Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have completed the inaugural flight of the service's first T-7A Red Hawk, marking the start of the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the programme.
During the one hour and 3-minute flight, U.S. Air Force Maj. Bryce Turner, 416th Test Squadron, and Steve Schmidt, Boeing T-7 chief test pilot, validated key aspects of the aircraft and demonstrated the power and agility of the Air Force's first advanced trainer to be digitally designed, built and tested. The aircraft is one of five EMD aircraft that will be delivered to the Air Force Air Education and Training Command for further testing.
“The stable performance of the aircraft and its advanced cockpit and systems are game changers for U.S. Air Force student pilots and instructors alike,” said Turner, whose grandfather and father were both U.S. Air Force fighter pilots. “We've come a long way in training since my family role models flew.”
The T-7A's vibrant red tails are a tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American U.S. military aviators who flew red-tailed fighters during World War II.
The T-7A moved from firm concept to flight testing in 36 months. A combination of model-based engineering, 3-D design and advanced manufacturing increased first-time quality by 75% and reduced assembly hours by 80%.
In 2018, the Air Force awarded Boeing a US$9.2 billion contract for 351 T-7A advanced trainers, 46 simulators and support. The T-7A will replace the Air Force's aging T-38 aircraft.
