Jaffe Aircraft - SA-32T turboprop military trainer

[fightingirish]

in the late 1980's, Jaffe Aircraft from San Antonio, Texas, presented the SA-32T turboprop military trainer. This aircraft was derived from the Swearingen SX-300 and designed by Ed Swearingen. It also had hard-points to be used as an light attack aircraft. First Flight was planned for January 1989.
It took part in the USAF PATS (Primary Trainer) competition. I can't confirm, if "PATS" is the right abbreviation or even itself was a real competition?! :-\
Some data:
Pilots: 2 (side-by-side seating)
fuselage length: 6,85m
wingspan: 7,43m
max. speed: 533 km/h
maneuvering speed: 383 km/h
g-Force: +/- 6 g
mass: 1179 kg
range: 1776 km
climb speed: 18,8 m/s


Edit 1:
According to Forrest Mulberg Turkey was interested in producing this aircraft in licence. Canada and South Korea were also interested in buying this trainer.


Source: Heiko Müller - "Leichte Trainer in Farnborough" - German magazine "Luftwaffen-Forum" - April 1988 - page 28-35

[The Jaffe SA-32T is] derived from the Swearingen SX-300, the SA-32T turboprop military trainer is powered by a 420 s.h.p Allison 250-B17D. Aimed at the low-cost primary/basic trainer market, the SA-32T features side-by-side seating, retractable gear, and a 2,6001b MTOW. Of predominantly metal construction, the aircraft is exceptionally clean aerodynamically, and offers handling characteristics similar to a military jet.

Sources: Flight International, 19 August 1989, page 70
Flight International, 21 - 27 August, 1991, page 68

Picture at airliner.net showing
Caption

[The Jaffe SA-32T (N6Y / 104 / cn 001)] was an unsuccessful contender in the USAF PATS (Primary Trainer) competition. It was designed by Ed Swearingen, and powered by an Allison 250-B17D turboprop.

Picture at Flickr.com


Unfortunately pilot Forrest Molberg and passenger Nathan Carr got killed flying fly the SA-29 prototype to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

On January 9, 1989, some thirteen months after the prototype had been purchased from Mr. Swearingen, Jafftech had Mr. Molberg fly the SA-29 prototype to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio where arrangements had been made to demonstrate it to Air Force officials who were interested in purchasing new pilot trainer airplanes. At about 9:00 a.m. on the morning of January 9, the plane took off from the air base to the demonstration area. Mr. Molberg was the pilot and appellants' decedent, Nathan Carr, an Air Force captain, the sole passenger, was an observer. Several minutes into the flight, while the plane was traveling at 238 knots on a straight flight path, the right wing fell off as the result of metal fatigue. The airplane crashed killing both Mr. Molberg and Captain Carr.

Link: CARR v. JAFFE AIRCRAFT CORP.


IMHO so far , this accident meant the end of Jaffe's contendership to USAF PATS (Primary Trainer) competition.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Likely the JPATS competition that lead to the T-6 Texan II. Check out:

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,733.0.html

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Kiltonge]

PATS ( T-37 replacement ) was the late-1980s USAF project which was to run in lock-step with the T-38 successor until Congress smashed it together with the US Navy to create JPATS. It took years until the two organisations agreed the JPATS requirements ( early 1990s ).

PATS rose from the ashes of the T-46 débacle and was to be off-the-shelf. Ha! Like that ever would happen...

1991 Observers scans attached.