The 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus AFB, Miss., received its first new T-6A Texan II last week. State and local officials turned out to acknowledge the arrival and mark the beginning of the end for the base’s T-37 Tweet trainers. The commander of the 14th FTW, Col. Dave Gerber, noted that the wing had been preparing for the change for almost two years, saying: “It is time for a change. … The T-6 can fly twice the range of the T-37 while using half the fuel and T-6 performs better in crosswinds allowing us to fly on days the T-37 would not.”
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
