A jet trainer is a jet aircraft for use as a trainer, whether for basic or advanced flight training. Jet trainers are either custom designs or modifications of existing aircraft. With the introduction of military jet-powered aircraft towards the end of World War II it became a requirement to train pilots in the handling of such aircraft.
History The first generation of trainers in the 1940s were modified from existing designs like the Gloster Meteor and Lockheed T-33 but with these were followed by custom training aircraft like the Aero L-29 Delfín and the BAC Jet Provost.
As training developed, different air forces used jet trainers for different phases of training. Although most air forces continued to use piston or later turboprop aircraft for basic training, a number of jet trainers like the Cessna T-37 Tweet appeared for the early stages of pilot training. Pilots who were picked to fly fighter or strike aircraft then went on to fly more advanced training aircraft like the Hawker Siddeley Gnat.
As the early jet-trainers became obsolete then further generations have appeared, the British using the single-engine BAE Systems Hawk while the French ordered the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet. In the Warsaw Pact the Aero L-39 Albatros became the standard jet trainer.
As the jet trainer developed, it was also used for weapon training, which led to some trainers being modified as light strike aircraft; for example, the Cessna T-37 Tweet was developed into the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly.
Modern jet trainers are structurally strengthened in order to allow high stress maneuvers and aerobatics.
List of jet trainers Below is a list of some current and former jet trainers
AircraftCountry1st flightNo. builtStatusAermacchi MB-326 Italy 1957 Limited serviceAermacchi MB-339 Italy 1976 OperationalAero L-29 Delfín Czechoslovakia 1959 OperationalAero L-39 Albatros Czechoslovakia 1968 OperationalAero L-39 Skyfox Czech Republic 2018 OperationalAero L-59 Super Albatros Czechoslovakia 1986 OperationalAero L-159 ALCA Czech Republic 1997 OperationalAIDC AT-3 Tzu Chung Republic of China 1980 OperationalAIDC T-5 Brave Eagle Republic of China 2020 OperationalTaiwan receives first-production T-5 advanced trainer 30 NOVEMBER 2021,© Janes.com 2021 All Rights ReservedBAC Jet Provost United Kingdom 1954 RetiredBAE Hawk United Kingdom 1974 OperationalBoeing–Saab T-7 Red Hawk United States / Sweden 2016 In developmentCASA C-101 Spain 1977 OperationalCanadair CT-133 Silver Star Canada 1952 RetiredCanadair CT-114 Tutor Canada 1960 aircraft in flight for testing and aerobatic demonstrations.Cessna T-37 Tweet United States 1954 Limited serviceDassault/Dornier Alpha Jet France / Germany 1973 OperationalDouglas TA-4E/J Skyhawk United States 1954 OperationalFiat G.80 Italy 1951 RetiredFMA IA 63 Pampa Argentina 1984 OperationalFokker S.14 Machtrainer Netherlands 1951 RetiredFolland Gnat United Kingdom 1955 RetiredFouga Magister France 1952 RetiredFouga Zéphyr France 1959 RetiredFuji T-1 Japan 1958 RetiredMitsubishi T-2 Japan 1971 RetiredGrumman F9F-8T/TF-9J Cougar United States 1951 RetiredHAL HJT-16 Kiran India 1964 OperationalHAL HJT-36 Sitara India 2003 Limited series productionHESA Yasin Iran 2019 In developmentHispano HA-200 Spain 1955 RetiredHongdu JL-8/Karakorum-8 People's Republic of China / Pakistan 1990 OperationalGuizhou JL-9 People's Republic of China 2003 OperationalHongdu JL-10 People's Republic of China 2006 OperationalIAR 99 Romania 1985 OperationalKAI T-50 Golden Eagle South Korea 2002 OperationalKawasaki T-4 Japan 1985 OperationalLeonardo M-346 Master Italy 2004 OperationalLockheed T-33 United States 1948 Retired Lockheed T2V SeaStar United States 1953 RetiredMcDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk United States 1988 OperationalMorane-Saulnier MS.760 Paris France 1964 RetiredNorth American T-2 Buckeye United States 1959 OperationalNorthrop T-38 TalonFactsheets : T-38 Talon : T-38 Talon United States 1958 OperationalPZL I-22 Iryda Poland 1985 RetiredPZL TS-11 Iskra Poland 1960 RetiredSaab 105 Sweden 1963 OperationalSoko G-2 Galeb Yugoslavia 1961 Limited serviceSoko G-4 Super Galeb Yugoslavia 1978 OperationalSIAI-Marchetti S.211 Italy 1981 OperationalTAI Hürjet Turkey 2023 In developmentTemco TT Pinto United States 1956 RetiredYakovlev Yak-130 Russia 1996 Operational
References