Five years after it grounded its Slingsby T-3 Firefly primary trainers, the USAir Force Academy has awarded Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University a five-year, $14.5 million contract to provide introductory flight training. Since the Fireflys were grounded in July 1997, following three fatal crashes, the Academy has contracted out initial training to local flight schools.
Embry-Riddle will lease 35 Diamond DA20-C1 Katana two-seat light aircraft for the programme, with training to begin on 1 October. The contract covers a 50h flight training course resulting in a private pilot's licence. In the first year, the university will train up to 300 cadets, increasing to 540 annually over the remaining four years. The contract includes a three-year extension option worth $10 million.
After originally planning to expand its use of commercial flight schools, the USAir Force has elected to consolidate introductory flight training under the Embry-Riddle contract at the academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, "to ensure consistency of training and provide military oversight". The Canadian-built Katana has a lower noise level and higher climb rate than its previous training aircraft, which the academy believes should alleviate local environmental concerns about increased flying activity. The academy is also taking delivery of TG-14 Super Ximango motor gliders, produced by Brazil's Grupo Aeromot, to replace its ageing Schweizer TG-7s.
The USAir Force says introductory flying training is necessary to prepare academy graduates for basic and advanced pilot training. In 1997-8, after the UK-built T-3 was grounded, attrition rates in the follow-on specialised undergraduate pilot training programme rose from single digits to above 20% at some bases, the service says.
Source: Flight International
