Officials from the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin have confirmed that the T-50 Golden Eagle development program is on track and the supersonic trainer is performing well in every aspect. Lt. Col. Cho Gwang Je, ROKAF T-50 chief test pilot, gave an overview of the T-50 development program, focusing on the flight-test activities. Cho, a seasoned fighter pilot and test pilot, was the first to fly the T-50 on Aug. 20, 2002, and is the high-time T-50 pilot.

"The T-50 is a real joy to fly and handles well throughout the flight envelop tested," Cho said. "It should be a very safe aircraft, and our student pilots should adapt to it very quickly. More importantly, our pilots will be able to transition very quickly to our modern fighters, the KF-16 and the F-15K, because of the skills learned in flying the T-50. Not only will they be familiar with the performance and handling qualities of a fighter-type aircraft, they will also have the experience of operating a modern fighter cockpit and a well-integrated avionics system."

Cho said the T-50 will have several high-technology features, which will enhance pilot training compared to current trainers. One is the full- authority digital flight control system, which features selectable maneuver- performance levels for phased learning and an active side-stick controller that provides feedback to the pilot in the other cockpit. Another is the data-transfer system, which has embedded training functions that, together with audio/video recording, should significantly aid in post-flight debriefings.

ROKAF pilots selected for fighter assignments subsequently will receive tactical training in the T-50 Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) version, which also has a multimode radar, an internal 20 mm gun and an armament system for delivering a variety of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons. The T-50 will reduce the number of trainer types and transition times for fighter pilots, plus it will reduce the initial pilot combat qualification burden on operational units. These factors will provide world-class training at reduced total training costs.

"We have taken the aircraft to its operational ceiling of 40,000 feet and flown it supersonic to Mach 1.2 (1.2 times the speed of sound)," Cho said. "We are using a stair-step approach of expanding the flight envelop to the flight-test limits. We are looking forward to start of flight test on our two T-50 LIFT aircraft later this summer."

The T-50 Golden Eagle is a supersonic advanced jet trainer being developed by KAI for the Republic of Korea Air Force. Lockheed Martin, as principal subcontractor to KAI, is providing technical expertise for the program and is responsible for developing the T-50 avionics system, flight control system and wings. The two companies are cooperatively marketing the T-50 internationally.

The T-50 Full-Scale Development program began in 1997 and will continue through 2005. Initial production authorization is planned for late 2003 with production deliveries to begin in 2005.

The T-50 will have the maneuverability, endurance and advanced systems to prepare future pilots to fly current and next-generation fighters like advanced F-16s, the F/A-22 and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. These same characteristics give it an excellent capability as a lead-in fighter trainer and potential light-combat aircraft derivative in many air forces.

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com, www.koreaaero.com