Texas Welcomes New Texan II Aircraft

By Lt. John Supple, Chief of Naval Air Training Public Affairs

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (NNS) -- Naval Aviators and local leaders joined together aboard Naval Air Station Corpus Christi to welcome the newest training aircraft to Training Air Wing 4, July 26.

The first two T-6B Texan II aircraft arrived in front of a hangar full of naval officers and guests, signaling the official start of the turnover from the T-34C Turbo Mentor to the T-6B for primary flight training at Training Air Wing 4.

The event featured a fly-by of the new aircraft, arrival of the T-6Bs to the hangar, brief speeches, a cake cutting at the reception, and a demonstration of the T-6 simulators. Rear Adm. William Sizemore, the chief of Naval Air Training Command, served as the featured speaker.

At the ceremony, Sizemore said that more than 30 years ago, the T-34C ushered the Navy air training from piston age into the jet age, and that the T-6B is another great advancement.

"The all-digital T-6B is a quantum leap over the T-34C and is the perfect aircraft to train and introduce our future naval aviators to the digital age and all-glass cockpit aircraft already in our advance pipelines and in the fleet," Sizemore said.

The T-6B, along with its state-of-the-art visual simulators and computer aided academics will enable the Navy to train naval aviators more efficiently, more effectively, and safer than ever before. And, while the simulators will not replace training in the air, it will complement and better prepare student naval aviators to make their airborne training more effective and more productive, explained Sizemore.

Initially, the new aircraft will be used for training instructor pilots. Student pilots from Training Squadron 27 are expected to begin flying the new aircraft early next year.

Search Continues for T-34 Instructor Pilots

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The search for two instructor pilots of Training Squadron 28 continues Oct. 30 after losing contact with them approximately 3:20 p.m. Oct. 28.

Lt. John Joseph Houston and Lt. Bret Travis Miller left Naval Air Station Corpus Christi on a routine training mission in the area of Rockport-Aransas County Airport, Texas.

Local Navy, Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection Agency and other government agencies are using surface and airborne assets to conduct the search. The search is from Port Aransas to Port O'Connor, from 30 miles offshore to 25 miles inland and surrounding bays.

Navy Loses Communication with T-34 Training Aircraft

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (NNS) -- Naval Air Station Corpus Christi air traffic control tower lost contact with a T-34C Turbomentor aircraft at approximately 3:20 p.m. Oct. 28.

The aircraft and two pilots aboard are assigned to Training Air Wing 4 based out of NAS Corpus Christi, Texas.

Local Coast Guard surface and airborne assets are currently conducting a search near Port Lavaca, Texas. The aircraft was conducting routine training missions.