Aircraft
SAIC Offering Eclipse 550s for USAF Pilot Trainer Bid
Company would provide a fleet of Eclipse VLJs for no up-front investment by the U.S. government, at a fee-per-flight-hour.
T-1A Jayhawks, such as this one from Vance AFB, could be replaced by more fuel efficient Eclipse VLJs. (U.S. Air Force photo by Terry Wasson)
T-1A Jayhawks, such as this one from Vance AFB, could be replaced by more fuel efficient Eclipse VLJs. (U.S. Air Force photo by Terry Wasson)

U.S. defense contractor Science Applications International (SAIC) is proposing that the U.S. Air Force replace its Beechcraft T-1A Jayhawk twinjet trainers with Eclipse 550 very light jets (VLJs) that the company would provide on a turn-key, service contract basis. SAIC claims significant benefits for adoption of the VLJ: a 50-percent reduction in operating costs compared with the current trainer and a fifth-generation cockpit that is more relevant for training today’s multi-engine military pilots. The Air Force has a fleet of more than 150 Jayhawks that it uses to train airlift and tanker pilots, and to support navigator training.


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