Airforce Squadron Leader Anthony Budd, flight instructor with 14th Squadron, Ohakea, visited Tauranga in the new T-6C Texan II. Photo / John Borren
Airforce Squadron Leader Anthony Budd, flight instructor with 14th Squadron, Ohakea, visited Tauranga in the new T-6C Texan II. Photo / John Borren
Black, squat and brimming with muscle, the exciting new generation of RNZAF pilot trainers met New Zealand's fastest feathered bird in a unique celebration of flight at Tauranga Airport.
The occasion was the maiden flight to Tauranga yesterday by two of the air force's new generation of military training aircraft, the T-6C Texan II.
When they are not training 15 to 20 pilots a year, the Texans will be thrilling crowds at air shows under the name the Black Falcons.
Their arrival in Tauranga was watched by the steely eyes of one of New Zealand's endangered falcons, brought over specially from Rotorua's Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre.
Falconer David Crimp proudly displayed his seven-year-old falcon Mojo to the two Ohakea-based 14 Squadron flight instructors Squadron Leader Anthony Budd and Flight Lieutenant Dan Pezaro.
The celebration barely ruffled the feathers of Mojo who sedately munched on the leg of a duck throughout the two-hour stopover.
The Wichita-built Texan trainers are a huge step up in technology from the old kiwi-built CT-4E Air Trainers that were dubbed the Red Checkers when they performed at air shows.
Squadron Leader Budd said the CT-4Es had been a great little aircraft that served its purpose really well, but had fairly rudimentary instruments and the ceiling in the unpressurised cockpit was 3000m.
Image 1 of 5: Air Force Squadron Leader Anthony Budd with David Crimp.
Comparing the T-6C with a CT-4 was like putting an old Nokia mobile phone alongside the latest Apple iPhone, he said.
"This aircraft is at the other end of the spectrum - it gives pilots so much information. It handles absolutely beautifully."
Five of the 11 Beechcraft-manufactured Texans will fly for the Black Falcons, with instructors fitting in training for show routines outside of their normal duties.
The pressurised cockpits and greater power gave them a maximum altitude of 9000m, allowing a further 555km range on a load of fuel.
Mr Budd said the T-6C Texan was much faster than the CT-4 and gave students a really good test. Its first appearance at an air show will be Wings Over Wairarapa in February 2017 followed by the RNZAF's 80th anniversary air show later the same month.
He said aircraft had their own idiosyncrasies, but the T-6C were well made and performed really well. "It has one of the most reliable engines around. The avionics and systems are brilliant."
Mr Budd said a lot of overseas pilots turned up with green [envious] eyes because their T-6C's did not have the same specs.
The RNZAF decided to stick with the "Texan" name for the T-6C which could also carried Beechcraft's Harvard name for export models. Harvard was an earlier training aircraft used by the RNZAF.
The two models of CT-4s were flown by the air force for 35 years, with the T-6C Texans expected to remain in service for 30 years.
