Korean AF Says T-50 Trainer Saves Money, Time / T-50 of ROK Air Force Most Effective In Training Pilots

Korean AF Says T-50 Trainer Saves Money, Time / T-50 of ROK Air Force Most Effective In Training Pilots

(NSI News Source Info) April 4, 2009: Employing the advanced training jet T-50, developed and built with the country’s indigenous technology, in training combat pilots significantly reduces the amount of time and cost required to train a pilot, the Air Force said March 17.

The T-50 Golden Eagle is a South Korean supersonic advanced trainer and light attack jet, developed by the Korean Aerospace Industries beginning in the late 1990s. The T-50 is South Korea's first indigenous supersonic aircraft and the world's only high-performance supersonic trainer in production. Currently, KAI is upgrading its four prototypes of the T-50 Golden Eagle trainer to advanced light fighters.

The advanced pilot training system currently employed by the Air Force consists of a practice course using T-103 training jets, a basic course built on KT-1 jets, an advanced course based on T-59 training jets and a combat course involving TA-50 light attack fighters.

The Air Force said the duration of the entire program to train a F-16 pilot from the entry level to combat level was curtailed by six months when T-50 was put into the program.

By replacing T-59 with T-50, the Air Force could reduce the amount of time required to train a F-16 pilot from 32 months to 26 months, and this consequently led to the reduction of costs from 2.1 billion won to 1.4 billion won.

“Those who underwent advanced course using T-50 training jets were able to quickly adapt to flying F-16 fighter jets and better understand their aeronautical equipment, and this led to a reduction of about 20 percent in the number of exercise flights they required,” Lt. Col. Hong Soon-taek, commander of the 157th Squadron of the 20th Fighter Wing. “This helps greatly improve our operation as it allows us to put the resources into actual combat training.” Meanwhile, a ceremony was held at the 1st Fighter Wing on March 17 to mark the complete of the first advanced pilot training course of the year that signaled the birth of 45 new ‘Red Muffler’ pilots. The new pilots will soon be posted to various units to carry on their mission as combat, transport or helicopter pilots.