Flight training is a different era of education and training because of its environment, training tools, physiology, and psychology. On the other hand, the fighter pilots training is out of the box. As we say; “You can be a pilot but not a fighter one.”

To become a fighter pilot a candidate has to overcome lots of obstacles. A fighter pilot trains in 3 phases. Initial, Basic and Advance Flight Training. As a brief;

  • Initial flight training is the first phase which is approximately 15-20 hours flight and generally operates with a propeller and low-performance aircraft.
  • Basic flight training is the main phase which candidates train as a fighter pilot which is approximately 100-120 hours flight (includes simulator). They learn the instrument, formation, navigation flights and the fundamentals. There are many types of aircraft for this phase.
  • Advanced flight training is the last phase and it differs. For fighter pilots, the aircraft must be a jet but for lifters or aerial-refueling pilots, it will be a different type.

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The main object of this article is basic training aircraft. USAF has replaced T-37s (already use by Pakistan Air Force) with T-6A Texan IIs. And also, Canada, Greece, Israel, Iraq, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, UK replaced. On the other hand, the ENJJPT (Euro-Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training) School fly with T-6s in Sheppard Air Force Base. It means Denmark, Norway, Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Netherland are using T-6s. And there will be new users.

Not the only basic training aircraft is T-6. There are also on service basic trainers;

  • Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (Brazilian)emb-314
    • Brazil, Chile, Dominic Republic, Ecuador
  • Fuji T-7 (Japanese)
    t-7

    • Japan
  • Pilatus PC-21 (Swiss)
    pc-21

    •  Jordan, Australia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, UAE, France
  • KAI KT-1 (Korean)kt-1
    • South Korea, Turkey, Indonesia

Besides these, there are two prototypes will be on the scene soon. First one is Serbian  Kobac and the second one is Turkish Hurkus. Both countries have their own military flight training schools.

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So it means that 5 basic trainers aircraft occupied the market. It is clear that the countries which have military flight training schools have replaced their basic training aircrafts or will be replaced soon.

There are several questions at this point:

  • Is there any flight training school which has not replaced basic flight training aircraft with a modern one?
  • Will Kobac or Hurkus find a market as a training aircraft except their own country?
  • When we will see Kobac’s and Hurkus’s combat versions?

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