Analysis of the Pilot Conversion Process for the Air Force T-46A Jet Trainer Aircraft

摘要

The objective of this research was to critically evaluate a portion of the Air Training Command T-46A Implementation Master Plan dated 1 March 1983. The process of converting students and instructor pilots from T-37 to T-46A was analyzed for feasibility and sensitivity to changes in certain resources and schedules. A simple analytical approach was used, calculating and comparing flying hours required versus available for various resource situations. The basic plan, as written for Laughlin AFB, is infeasible because of a short-age of flying hours during several months. The primary causes of this imbalance are: use of partial- and no-simulator syllabi; peak flying during the Operational Readiness Assessment (ORA); and the relatively low initial T-46A utilization rate. Some options for making the plan more workable are analyzed, as is a plan to convert without additional instructor pilots. Other approaches are suggested, without analysis. Besides the actual pilot conversion, there are brief analyses and comments on acquiring additional instructor pilots, manning the ORA, and conversion at subsequent bases. The findings are based on specific assumptions which must be clearly understood. The author concludes that the basic plan can be made feasible by applying suggested modifications. (Author)