How a Generation of US Navy Pilots Came to Love (and Hate) the T-45 Goshawk

How a Generation of US Navy Pilots Came to Love (and Hate) the T-45 Goshawk

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The Navy’s designated trainer aircraft is somewhat more manageable for a trainee pilot than the F/A-18 Super Hornet—but that does not mean it is easy to fly.

The T-45 Goshawk is an advanced jet trainer for the US Navy and Marine Corps. Serving as a bridge from basic flight training to frontline tactical jets, the T-45 teaches students how to stay ahead of a faster jet—and, at least until recently, how to land on aircraft carriers. The T-45 is carefully calibrated for its role as a trainer jet—demanding enough to teach would-be pilots to be precise, but still forgiving enough to keep students alive while learning.

The T-45 Goshawk’s Specifications

Year Introduced: 1991

Length: 39 ft 4 in (12.0 m)

Wingspan: 30 ft 0 in (9.14 m)

Weight (Max Takeoff): ~14,000 lb (6,350 kg)

Engine: One Rolls-Royce........

© The National Interest