The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (USAF TPS) at Edwards Air Force Base welcomed three A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, marking the first new aircraft addition to the school’s fleet in almost 30 years. This acquisition represents a significant boost to the school’s flight test and training capabilities, particularly in the crucial area of spin testing.
The A-29s were initially delivered to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) in 2022. The aircraft were the most technologically advanced and mission-capable A-29s available then. They were intended for use in AFSOC’s Combat Aviation Advisor (CAA) mission, which focuses on building partner nation capacity. The three aircraft were delivered and began training operations at Hurlburt Air Force Base in March 2022, according to a press release from Sierra Nevada Corporation.
However, changing mission requirements made the A-29s surplus to AFSOC’s requirements. Recognising a valuable opportunity, the Air Force Test Center and USAF TPS leadership decided to repurpose the aircraft, enhancing training and research capabilities at Edwards.
One of the most notable benefits of the A-29 is its suitability for spin testing, a capability the school has lacked for a powered aircraft since the mid-1990s. Spin testing is a critical aspect of flight test, evaluating an aircraft’s behaviour when it enters an uncontrolled spin, a potentially dangerous manoeuvre where the aircraft spirals downwards while rotating around its vertical axis. Understanding an aircraft’s spin characteristics and recovery procedures is essential for ensuring pilot safety.
The A-29’s airframe design makes it ideal for spin testing. USAF Test Pilot School Instructor Dave Evans states in the video that the aircraft was “specifically chosen for spinning”. He explains that the acquisition of the A-29s will provide the school with its “first time that we’ve been able to have an organic spin capability at the school for a powered airplane since the mid-90s”
The A-29 will play a vital role in training future test pilots at the USAF TPS. Students at the school are rigorously tested on their ability to safely fly an unfamiliar aircraft using minimal information. They are given a manual with limited details about the aircraft’s systems and are then tasked with safely taking off, flying, and landing the aircraft. This challenging exercise simulates the real-world scenarios test pilots face when evaluating new or modified aircraft.
The addition of the A-29s to the USAF TPS fleet signifies a commitment to modernising test pilot training and staying ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving aerospace landscape. The A-29’s ability to support spin testing and its versatile avionics will contribute significantly to the school’s mission of developing world-class test pilots and advancing cutting-edge research.
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Predict one of the A-29s will be museum oriented and I wonder if we recovered any of the A-29s from outside Afghanistan. Is