I was reading today that the USAF retired the T-37 Tweet last year.
Any idea what they're doing with the fleet? Seems like an engine and avionics upgrade and this would still be a viable platform for a variety of civil applications.
What are your suggestions?
There are two engines, in really small engine bays. Really small. J-85s from the A-37 might fit, but I don't know what the engine bay size differences are. The Wiki articles lead me to believe the size differences are not an issue. My hands-on experience with the platform is actually with the A-37.
There isn't a huge avionics package, and upgrading to a modern suite could be expensive.
The ejection seats are also problematic, and require additional expense for removal.
They are NOISY, the character of which gave rise to the nickname.
According to the Wiki article, flight characteristics could be a factor, depending on usage.
Oh, yeah, where are you going to get spare parts?
Food for thought.
Heh.. they. are. noisy. Yes, they are. :)
I can't imagine parts being any harder than keeping a Fouga Magister going. Of course, those come here as experimental since there is no airworthiness certificate for them. Like most anything else thats been sold off from the military. Except it's probably harder these days to get anything like that Just Because.
WIWAC at Peterson AFB, a pilot once told me they called the T-37 the Converter; as in, it converts JP4 to noise. ;D
Cheers,
I've heard them referred to as the "Double-barreled Police Whistle". If 100 gals of JP-4 an hour appeals to you, have at it. The OV-1 Mohawks, with which I am most familiar, burn 150 an hour.
Heck, my UH-1 would burn 100 gals/hour and that was through just one engine! (But it was still great fun to fly)
Jack: I know what you mean: I have had the opportunity to fly the UH-1 a couple of times. The Mohawk was more fun, just not the same.