The A-29C will likely be used each for coaching as a part of the Take a look at Pilot Faculty’s curriculum and experimental testing of mission methods, avionics, sensors and weapons.
The A-29C Tremendous Tucanos of the U.S. Air Drive Take a look at Pilot Faculty commenced their coaching operations at Edwards AFB in California, a press launch from the 412th Take a look at Wing stated. This comes practically a 12 months after three of the plane arrived at Edwards on Jul. 18, 2024, after being briefly saved at Davis-Monthan AIr Drive Base, Arizona.
The plane had been initially acquired by the Air Drive Particular Operations Command (AFSOC) for the Gentle Assault/Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) program that envisioned having 100 plane for counter-insurgency roles, together with Shut Air Assist (CAS) and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR). The plane had been then saved after the conclusion of the experimental program following a change of the mission necessities.
The Embraer A-29 would now assist develop the coaching curriculum on the TPS as a “fashionable platform for instruction in aerial spins, sensors and mission methods coaching,” the discharge defined. It might additionally function an “extra plane sort for information assortment throughout analysis initiatives” of the TPS Analysis Division.
Completely satisfied Tucano Tuesday!
The A-29C has formally started integration into the #USAF Take a look at Pilot Faculty’s curriculum.
Hear from our chief pilot on why the Tremendous Tucano will improve pupil instruction and broader business #analysis. @HQ_AFMC pic.twitter.com/mlJzvmGjL3
— Edwards Air Drive Base (@EdwardsAFB) July 8, 2025
The 412th Take a look at Wing, the Air Drive Take a look at Middle (AFTC) and the Sierra Nevada Company – that has a Tremendous Tucano meeting facility at Jacksonville, Florida – will work collectively in sustaining and sustaining the plane “offering important cutting-edge instruction to future check leaders.”
Making ready flying and upkeep procedures for the brand new plane
The A-29’s “restricted use” made it “one of many few plane inside the present USAF stock that lacks a proper coaching course.” Thus, three instructors from the TPS, one in all them being Maj. Mateusz Borek – the flight sciences assistant division chair and chief A-29 check pilot, needed to fly the plane to Edwards AFB with “zero formal flight coaching” on the sort.
This seems to be a reference to the flight from Davis-Monthan AFB to Edwards AFB in July 2024. “They ready by learning the flight guide, partaking in discussions with upkeep personnel, and learning what is called the 3-3 publication, or key ways, strategies, and procedures which are distinctive to the plane,” the discharge defined, describing the preparation for the ferry flight.
To additional mitigate threat related to working a brand new plane for the primary time, the instructors additionally accomplished qualification flights within the T-6 Texan and the PC-21, “which have related flying and dealing with traits.” It’s value noting, nevertheless, that the three A-29s had been beforehand utilized by the now deactivated 81st Fighter Squadron to coach overseas nations, resembling Afghanistan and Nigeria, and it’s unclear if the instructors had been in a position to retrieve coaching materials which was utilized by the 81st FS till 2022.
“Although I wasn’t testing the A-29C per se, the joys of entering into an plane I’ve by no means flown earlier than, solo, was unmatched,” stated Maj. Borek. “I studied the flight guide meticulously and mentally rehearsed the flight. The USAF Take a look at Pilot Faculty had an enormous hand in getting ready me for eventualities resembling this one. Whereas I used to be a pupil, I flew greater than 20 completely different airplanes. The college didn’t present me with extraordinary skills; as a substitute, it taught me important pondering and analysis abilities that may solely be gained with numerous hours of teachers, sims, and hands-on experiences.”
Upon safely arriving at Edwards AFB, the 412th Take a look at Wing and Sierra Nevada Company collaborated for the following six months and put the A-29s by means of “in depth upkeep.” On the similar time, “this allowed instructors to completely examine the plane, refine procedures, and develop a complete coaching plan,” stated the service.
Expanded testing – From flight and piloting
The A-29C’s fashionable avionics and strong airframe design make it one of many few plane within the USAF’s Take a look at Pilot Faculty curriculum to be utilized for each flight coaching, pilot instruction, and experimental testing of mission methods, avionics, sensors and weapons, defined the press launch. The TPS known as it the “jack-of-all-trades.”
A-29 Tremendous Tucano plane inducted into @NigAirForce
“The entire package deal deal—aircrew & maintainer coaching, precision-guided weapon supply, & extra—highlights our enduring partnership w/the Nigerian Air Drive…”– Gen. Harrigian, @HQUSAFEAFAF commander pic.twitter.com/Et4jMrAzIn
— U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) (@USAfricaCommand) August 31, 2021
For coaching check pilots, the A-29C Tremendous Tucano will “primarily be used for stall and spin coaching,” as a result of “evaluating and testing plane stall and spin traits is an important ability set for each graduate of a check pilot faculty.” The brand new A-29Cs will be capable to “execute many forms of spins with an endurance of over 1 ½ hours, maximizing studying for all college students.”
At present, the Air Drive makes use of for this position a glider spin sortie, which nevertheless gives “restricted repetitions and flight dynamics,” and an F-16 departure flight, which is just relevant to graduates who go on to check fighter plane.
Testing devices, avionics, drones, sensors and weapons
Upon establishing and finalizing logistics and piloting procedures, the TPS curriculum will make the most of the A-29C’s mission methods additionally for testing and trialing avionics, sensors and weapons. “The plane can carry an MX-15 Sensor Ball, make the most of Hyperlink 16, talk by means of a VORTEX hyperlink, and make use of laser-guided bombs and rockets,” stated the discharge.
Aviators coaching to turn out to be check pilots on the TPS will obtain the “data and abilities obligatory to check and consider related mission methods on present and rising platforms.”
#ICYMI SNC continues to help U.S. Air Drive Particular Operations Command’s important mission with the supply of three U.S.-built A-29C Tremendous Tucanos – probably the most technologically enhanced & mission-capable A-29 available on the market. #CombatProven #TeamSNC pic.twitter.com/s4bYLiEpHP
— Sierra Nevada Company (@SierraNevCorp) April 20, 2022
One other profit could be sparing important airframe lifetime of the F-16s at Edwards AFB which are often flown for the Sensors Demo, Weapons Demo, and Mission Programs Sensible Examination. These might be “uniquely carried out on the A-29C,” stated the discharge.
In the direction of that finish, the TPS is at the moment equipping the A-29C Tremendous Tucanos with “particular instrumentation to allow superior information assortment and management room operations.” This can enable it to simply accumulate information about each side of a flight mission, permitting in flip an intensive debrief and information evaluation.
The college can also be exploring the potential integration of the Agile Pod, which might additional improve the mission methods capabilities.The AgilePod is an Air Drive-trademarked, multi-intelligence reconfigurable pod, obtainable in numerous kind elements, enabling speedy integration of recent airborne information and communications applied sciences onto present licensed platforms. It eliminates the necessity for builders to interact with a number of plane procurement and sustainment places of work and design customized packaging options.
With its 5 underwing weapon stations, the A-29C additionally permits future flexibility for analysis and growth efforts by means of the Air Drive Take a look at Pilot Faculty’s Analysis Division. Its backseat additionally homes a devoted controller station that could possibly be used for fight methods officers and remotely piloted plane college students Collaborative Fight Plane (CCA) and Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) applied sciences and ideas evolve.
Within the launch saying the arrival of the A-29s at Edwards AFB in July 2024, AFTC plans and packages director Michael Banzet known as the repurposing of the plane for flight testing “a results of considerate evaluation by the Take a look at Pilot Faculty […] to make the most of a singular, fleeting alternative.” He additional added “not solely does this repurpose a $63 million taxpayer funding, it additionally modernizes and expands TPS curriculum to speed up the fielding of fight functionality for the U.S. Air Drive.”
