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In the late 1980s, the USAF reassessed its training missions. The aging T-37s and T-38s could not be refurbished and uphauled indefinitely, and so new specifications were to be drafted. JPATS would provide a primary trainer for future pilots; and TTTS would provide a platform for future tanker transport crew training.
The TTTS competition resulted in the success of the Beechcraft 400T Beechjet , which was to be procured as the T-1 Jayhawk in its T-1A and CT-1B variants. The use of the "T-1" designation is odd, to say the least: in all logic, the next available slot in the T- for trainer category should have been "T-48" or "T-49". And even if the alternate tri-service list was to be used instead (it had only spawned two redesignations back in 1962, with the Lockheed T2V-1 Seastar becoming the T-1A and the North American T2J-1 Buckeye becoming the T-2A) the next logical slot should have been "T-3"... Why the Air Force started a THIRD list of trainers is therefore left to speculation. Subsequent trainer have used T-48, T-49, T-51, T-52, T-3 and T-6. The T-1 Jayhawk has remained and will likely remain a one-off oddity.
The early TTTS contenders were as follows:
Later contenders were as follows:
The first selection led to a the announcement in late November1989 that the final choice would be between the Beechcraft, Cessna and Gates proposals. Beech eventually was announced the winner in February 1990, with the prototype N2886B flying for the first time on July 5, 1991.
Here are the first five proposals as presented in the February 1989 issue of Flight.
The TTTS competition resulted in the success of the Beechcraft 400T Beechjet , which was to be procured as the T-1 Jayhawk in its T-1A and CT-1B variants. The use of the "T-1" designation is odd, to say the least: in all logic, the next available slot in the T- for trainer category should have been "T-48" or "T-49". And even if the alternate tri-service list was to be used instead (it had only spawned two redesignations back in 1962, with the Lockheed T2V-1 Seastar becoming the T-1A and the North American T2J-1 Buckeye becoming the T-2A) the next logical slot should have been "T-3"... Why the Air Force started a THIRD list of trainers is therefore left to speculation. Subsequent trainer have used T-48, T-49, T-51, T-52, T-3 and T-6. The T-1 Jayhawk has remained and will likely remain a one-off oddity.
The early TTTS contenders were as follows:
- Cessna 552 (T-47) Citation (also found elsewhere as the T-75)
- Beechcraft 400T Beechjet (an evolution of the Mitsubishi MU-300 Diamond, also found as the T-122) (the winning design)
- Sabreliner Sabre 65 (an umpteenth upgrade of the old North American T-39)
- British Aerospace/Rockwell 125-800 (which had not yet become the Hawker 800)
- Gates Learjet 31
Later contenders were as follows:
- Israeli Aircraft Industries Astra
- Dassault Falcon 100
The first selection led to a the announcement in late November1989 that the final choice would be between the Beechcraft, Cessna and Gates proposals. Beech eventually was announced the winner in February 1990, with the prototype N2886B flying for the first time on July 5, 1991.
Here are the first five proposals as presented in the February 1989 issue of Flight.
