Raytheon Aircraft has taken off on a six-month, nine-country tour to demonstrate the T-6B Texan (Flight International, 4-10 January), aimed at nailing down the primary trainer's baseline avionics and clinching deals in markets such as Israel, Spain and the UK.
The US manufacturer says it wants to have the T-6B - an updated version of the T-6A in service with the US Air Force and Navy, NATO Flying Training in Canada and the Greek air force - certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration by late next year.
The tour kicked off late last month in the UK, with a two-week stint at RAF Cranwell, where pilots Tim Dolan and Andy Litavniks conducted four flights a day for Ministry of Defence personnel who are looking at candidates for the UK Military Flying Training System's primary training requirement.
"Some folks have come in with preconceptions of what the aircraft is like," says Dolan, T-6 manager business development for Europe and the Middle East. "But they have been very impressed with its handling, performance and capabilities," Dolan adds.
Demonstrations will follow in Australia, Greece, Israel, Malaysia, Spain and Thailand before the tour finishes in the United Arab Emirates in early June. The aircraft will also take part in air shows at Avalon, Australia in March, Paris in June and the Royal International Air Tattoo in the UK in July.
Not included in the tour are two countries which are at an advanced stage in the procurement process for a primary trainer - Singapore and Turkey. Greece is included because - although its air force has 45 T-6As in service already - Raytheon wants to offer the possibility of upgrading some of its fleet to the B version.
MURDO MORRISON / FARNBOROUGH
Source: Flight International
