T-6 Texan info

[Guest Swigs]

Im in love with the t-6 It seems like one sweet trainer.

I was wonderin if any of yall are flying that now; and what yall think about it. Does it compare much to a cessna 152 :D

[DC]

check out www.airforcelife.net -- that guy is in phase II now

[Guest deweygcc]

does it compare to a 152.. in a word NO. Maybe a pitts s2 would be somewhat close.

[Guest Swigs]

:D

[flynhigh]

I talked to a couple instructor instructor pilots from Randolph and they said that Laughlin should be fully converted to the T-6's by the end of the year.

[Guest PalmettoGuy]

How does the T-6 fly compared to the T-37? Is it a better trainer? To me it seems like it would be downgrading going from a jet to a prop, but then again I know very little about either plane. Does the T-6 have a throttle like in a modern jet, or does it have a 152 type knob for a throttle? Also, can it perform as well at high altitudes as a jet? Are there any differences between the UPT programs using T-37s and T-6s?

[ 29. June 2004, 14:12: Message edited by: PalmettoGuy ]

[Guest mchollar]

"How does the T-6 fly compared to the T-37?"

I've been in both and prefer the T-6.

More power, longer range, waaaay better cockpit setup (obviously) and visibility all around. You just gotta learn to use the rudder pedals.

"Is it a better trainer?"

T-6 IPs will tell you the T-6 is better. T-37 IPs will usually disagree. Take your pick. There's pros and cons to both. One thing's for sure though, the T-6 won't last as long as the tough old tweet.

It's not downgrading though. It's a very powerful turboprop. It's actually a whole lot of airplane for a primary trainer.

"Does the T-6 have a throttle like in a modern jet, or does it have a 152 type knob for a throttle?"

It has a throttle that is both mechanical and electronic in nature to give it "jet-like" linear response.

"Also, can it perform as well at high altitudes as a jet?"

Ceiling is 31k, but since the tweet is unpressurized, the comparison is a moot point. It flies fine at altitudes.

"Are there any differences between the UPT programs using T-37s and T-6s?"

Not much, really. The Tweet has decades of history, heritage and lessons learned the hard way. The Texan community is still growing in that regard. There is no distinction anywhere in your career or anything as to which aircraft you flew.

[Guest Swigs]

--------C-152 vs T-6---------

C-152 horsepower- 108

T-6 horsepower- 1,708

------------Thats pretty sweet.

One of the coolest things about the T-6, I think, is the glass cockpit.

Of course the tweet is awsome too.

[ 29. June 2004, 16:39: Message edited by: Swigs ]

[flynhigh]

T-6 horsepower is actually limited to 1100 Shaft HP... the computer control limits the horsepower for student pilots.

[Guest Swigs]

Thanks for the info, thats interesting; makes since.

[ 29. June 2004, 19:05: Message edited by: Swigs ]

[Guest CMSUpilot]

Here's some numbers on the T-6 per the Dash 1:

1100 Shaft Horsepower (really pushes you back in your seat)

2900 ft. lbs of torque at 100% Torque (and trust me, you feel the torque)

30,000 rpm - turbine output shaft speed

2,000 rpm - prop operating speed (constant speed prop)[ RPMs are decreased from 30,000 to 2,000 rpm in the reduction gear box in the front of the engine ]

Max airspeed: 316 knots (0.67 mach)

Climb speeds: 120 - 180 (Usually at 160)

Cruise: 200 - 250

Max speed with gear or flaps down: 150

Turbulent Air: 195

Best Glide: 125

1200 lbs of fuel max (if overwing fueling)

1100 lbs of fuel max (single point refueling)

- 530 lbs of fuel per wing

- 40 lbs in the collector tank

G Limits

+7.0 to -3.5 Symmetric, clean

+2.5 to 0.0 Symmetric, gear/flaps extended

+4.7 to -1.0 Asymmetric, clean

+2.0 to 0.0 Asymmetric, gear/flaps extended

Max Ramp Weight: 6550

Max Takeoff/Landing Weight: 6500

Max Zero Fuel Weight: 5500

One more thing about the plane, the good thing about the T-6 compared to the T-37 is the instantaneous power that we have. Today I did a go around behind a T-37 doing a touch and go and I had to pull back my power so I wouldn't catch up. It takes something like 12 - 16 seconds (I'm guessing here) for the T-37's engines to spool up to Mil power, where as for the 6 it's maybe 2 - 3 seconds to kick in.

That's all I can think of right now. If there's anything else that any of you want to know about this sweet plane, just let me know. I actually just finished with a flight (my 5th one so far). I will be putting information about the plane on my website once we're back from the 4th of July weekend.

Allen

[ 29. June 2004, 20:27: Message edited by: CMSUpilot ]

[Guest Swigs]

I appreciate the info.

Your website rocks! Sounds like phase II is pretty cool.

[CHS17]

14 is the most I've seen in the T-6/T-37. It actually sucks because it's hard to get any kind of training done.

[zrooster99]

Technically, if I'm not mistaken, you don't really fly with the throttle any way on a turbo prop. You use the engine condition lever (which contols prop pitch), to adjust the amount of power that is applied to the air (how much the blades slap the air to pull you along) which is measured by how much torq you pull. The engine operates continually between 90-100% RMP throughout flight. You T-6 and Hurc guys can explane it better though, I've only done ground runs on the Hurc. The T-6 engine has more in common with a jet then a 152 as it's actually a turbin engine attached to a prop through a gear box. The 152 uses a horizontally opposed piston engine. The T-37 uses some of the oldest technology turbin engines (centrifugal flow turbo jets) in an operational aircraft. The technology is so old that the only other place you'd find this type of engine today is in ground equipment used to start aircraft not equipped with an APU/GTC.

[Guest mchollar]

If I understand you correctly, then I'm afraid that yes, you are mistaken. The T-6 and the C-130 powerplants are two totally different machines.

T-6: You only have a throttle, no condition lever. It regulates fuel to the engine, causing it to burn hotter and spin faster. The prop is not attached directly to this turbine, it spins separately being blown by the other turbine. The prop does adjust itself to stay around 2000 RPM at all times, if able.

C-130: The entire engine runs at 100% all the time (in the air) and the prop is connected to the rest of the engine by a shaft. You fly with the throttles which control, once again, fuel output to the engine. This causes it to burn hotter, tries to spin faster, the prop adjusts itself automatically to keep itself (and the rest of the engine) at 100% RPM by adjusting the blade angle.

So yes, the blade angle does change when you move the throttles, but that's not what you're directly controlling. As airspeed changes, your blade angle will change as well on its own. The fuel flow only changes when you move the throttles.

[Guest CMSUpilot]

PCL and Prop control info per Air Force TO 1T-6A-1 (Dash 1):

The PCL is connected to the PMU

"The engine power management unit (PMU) and the propellar interface unit (PIU) automatically control the propellar blade angle (pitch) and propellar speed (Np). Np is measured by a torque probe. The propellar system is designed to maintain a constant speed of 2000 RPM (100% Np) during most flight conditions."

Allen

[ 01. July 2004, 12:51: Message edited by: CMSUpilot ]

[Guest mchollar]

Alright, alright,

I hesitated to bring up the PMU since things get complicated there.

I also can't quite tell if you are backing me up or telling me I'm a little off. I will assume the latter.

So since you bring it up..

Obviously, you are flying the T-6, so you know that when you move the PCL you have absolutely no clue what blade angle you are setting. There is no indication in the cockpit for it. Here's what I remember from my T-6 days:

When you change the PCL setting, you are saying "I want this much power out of the engine" (% torque which will coincide with a fuel flow depending on altitude and temp.) The PMU decides how much fuel that requires and works together with the PIU to change the blade angle in order to keep it at 2000 RPM.

So yes, a change in PCL setting does change the blade angle, but that's not the primary concern. You set fuel flow and blade angle is changed automatically as a result. Minor difference there.

It's been a while, but that's how I remember it working. I'm also not sure how in-depth they went on that in T-6 land, since 90% of them will never fly props again. If you go to Corpus and beyond, then obviously this type of thing becomes much more important.

As long as you remember to do the 6Ts nobody cares if you know what exactly the PCL, PMU and PIU are doing. :D

[HerkDerka]

Jhonka-

Don't confuse 'em man. The prop isn't connected to the engine in the Herk. It's connected to the reduction gearbox which is connected to the extenstion shaft which is driven by the turbine assembly. This is more of an indirect connection since the engine is actually just driving the reduction gear box. And the engine doesn't run at 100%. It runs at 98-102%.

Rooster-

In the Herk, our condition levers have four positions and never move during flight unless you're airstarting or shutting down and engine.

HD

[Gravedigger]

Alright, enough of this technical mambo jambo. We all know that the T-6 kicks serious ***, end of story. Everybody have a drink on me and enjoy the holiday. :D

[zrooster99]

Oh well...that's what I get for trying to sound smart...that was how I understood the explination I got from my crew chiefs and engine guys...then I made a few ASSumptions...more beer, less talk.

[Guest SEP]

Anyone know where to finds some good info about the glass cockpit in the T-6 Texan II? Such as the specs, capabilities, how the moving map works, # of screens, manual, etc?

[Riddller]

A or B model?

The new B model (which supposedly only the Navy is getting, but no one has for now) is truly a "glass cockpit": HUD, maybe three reconfigurable big LCD screens, that sort of thing. Most of the instruments in the A model are in fact small LCD screens, but I don't know if I would really call it a "glass cockpit". Regardless, you can probably find pictures on papertrainer.com, but as for manuals for their use, I don't think so, at least not electronically. If you go to UPT (I don't know your background) you'll have more than enough time to get familiar with everything.

[DirtyHerk]

Though this is splitting hairs, I'd say the fact it has digital displays of its flight instruments qualifies it as a glass cockpit. Maybe not the latest and the greatest but glass none the less.

[MCO]

A or B model?

The new B model (which supposedly only the Navy is getting, but no one has for now) is truly a "glass cockpit": HUD, maybe three reconfigurable big LCD screens, that sort of thing. Most of the instruments in the A model are in fact small LCD screens, but I don't know if I would really call it a "glass cockpit". Regardless, you can probably find pictures on papertrainer.com, but as for manuals for their use, I don't think so, at least not electronically. If you go to UPT (I don't know your background) you'll have more than enough time to get familiar with everything.

If you wouldn't call it glass what would you call it?

[Wolf424]

If you wouldn't call it glass what would you call it?

Instead of a "glass cockpit" with a couple large LCD screens (a la T-38), there are 10 (including RMU and GPS). Still glass, just different.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/sys...f-0000s-003.jpg

http://www.t6driver.com/Pictures/t6_glasscockpit.jpg