Fairchild T-46

Infobox Aircraft
name = T-46 "Eaglet"
type = Jet trainer aircraft
manufacturer = Fairchild Aircraft



caption = A T-46 out of Edwards AFB
designer =
first flight = October 15 1985
introduction =
retired =
number built = 3
status =
unit cost =
variants with their own articles =
primary user =United States Air Force
more users =

The Fairchild T-46 (nicknamed the "Eaglet") was an American light jet trainer aircraft of the 1980s. It was cancelled in 1986 with only three aircraft being produced.

Design and development

In order to validate the proposed aircraft's design, and to explore its flight handling characteristics, Fairchild Republic contracted with Ames Industries of Bohemia, New York to build a flyable 62% scale version. Burt Rutan's Rutan Aircraft Factory (RAF) in Mojave, California was contracted to perform the flight test evaluations, with test pilot Dick Rutan doing the flying. The scale version was known at RAF as the Model 73 NGT.

The plane was the winner of the US Air Force's competition to build the Next Generation Trainer (NGT) program to replace the Cessna T-37 Tweet. The aircraft first flew on October 15 1985, but was cancelled a little more than a year later, for reasons that largely remain controversial. The T-46 was the last project of the Fairchild Republic Corporation, and after the program termination Fairchild had no more income. Without any new contracts and the NGT program cancelled, the company closed the Republic factory in Farmingdale, New York, bringing 60 years of Fairchild aircraft manufacturing to an end.

The aircraft itself featured a side by side configuration, a twin (or "H") tail (similar to the company's A-10), ejection seats, pressurization, and two turbofan engines. Had it gone into full production the NGT program called for over 600 aircraft being built up to 1993. There was potential for some overseas sales as well, such as in the light ground attack role in addition to its role as a trainer.

Operators

;USA
*United States Air Force

Aircraft of display

* "84-0492" can be seen at the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
* "84-0493" under restoration at the National Museum of the United States Air Force

pecifications (T-46)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= jet
ref=
crew= two; trainer, student
capacity=
length main= 19 ft 9 in
length alt= 8.99 m
span main= 38 ft 7 in
span alt= 11.78 m
height main= 12 ft 8 in
height alt= 3.86 m
area main= 160.9 ft²
area alt= 14.95 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 5,172 lb
empty weight alt= 2,351 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 6,802 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 3,092 kg
more general=
* Aspect ratio: 9.3
* Internal fuel capacity: 1,258 lb (572 kg)
engine (jet)= Garrett F109-GA-100
type of jet=two-shaft turbofans
number of jets=2
thrust main= 1,326 lbf
thrust alt= 5.9 kN
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=
max speed main= 394 knots at 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
max speed alt= 454 mph, 736 km/h
cruise speed main= 330 knots at 45,000 ft (13,720 m)
cruise speed alt= 380 mph, 616 km/h
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 1,150 nm
range alt= 1314 mi, 2,130 km
ceiling main= 46,500 ft
ceiling alt= 14,175 m
climb rate main= 4,467 ft/min
climb rate alt= 22.7 m/s
loading main= 42.3 lb/ft²
loading alt= 207 kg/m²
thrust/weight= 0.39
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
* Take-off distance: 1,102 ft (366 m)
* Landing distance: 1,125 ft (343 m)
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=
* T-37 Tweet
* T-6 Texan II
sequence=
lists=
see also=
*JPATS

External links

* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/t-46.htm Global Security Article on the T-46]
* [http://www.cradleofaviation.org/exhibits/jet/republic_t-46/t-46.html Includes photo of RAF Model 73 flown by Dick Rutan]