Those were the words of U.S. Air Force Major General Patrick Doherty after stepping out of the cockpit of the Air Force’s newest T-7A training aircraft.

As commander of the 19th Air Force, Doherty oversees the U.S. Air Force flight program that trains more than 32,000 U.S. and allied aircrew members annually and is the first customer to fly Boeing’s T-7A aircraft.

Check out this special peek of his flight:

Designed specifically to meet the U.S. Air Force’s 21st century pilot training needs, T-7A uses modern, high-tech displays and instruments and can be easily evolved as technology changes.

The post This Trainer Aircraft is Transforming the U.S. Air Force appeared first on Watch U.S. Fly.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson recently voiced his support for the “only truly American-made” entrant in the Air Force competition – Boeing T-7A – which would generate and sustain more than 1,800 well-paying jobs in his state.

Aside from being the sole “American-made” option for the Air Force to consider, the Governor also took note of the aircraft’s impressive design and capabilities.

Parson concludes by saying, “I believe the Boeing ‘Made in America’ T-7A that will take off from right here in Missouri — and carry U.S. air supremacy forward for the next generation of pilots — is the best choice for our national security and economy.”

We agree.

Read the rest of the Op-Ed here.

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In the race to build the new Air Force fighter pilot trainer, will “American-made” apply to the U.S. Air Force this year?

The U.S. Air Force issued a challenge to build a new aircraft that will be used to train fighter pilots for generations to come, and Boeing has answered the call.

The Boeing T-7A is the only military trainer aircraft in the Air Force competition that is 90 percent made in America. With major parts manufactured just outside Dallas — creating 950 American jobs — and final assembly happening in St. Louis — supporting 1,800 regional jobs — Boeing T-7A is a huge win for American manufacturing.

But how important will “American-made” be to the U.S. Air Force when it chooses a trainer aircraft later this year? Frontiers of Freedom President George Landrith poses this question in an op-ed for The Washington Times.

“These are trainer jets for America’s newest pilots. Do we really want to contract this work out to foreign firms?” Landrith asks.

In creating and supporting American jobs in the American heartland, it’s clear the Boeing T-7A is the best choice to train the next generation of American fighter pilots.

Read more about why “American-made” should matter to the U.S. Air Force.

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I visited a middle school classroom last week to surprise an aspiring pilot and his classmates.

Gage B., a sixth-grade student from Marion, Iowa, wrote a letter to Boeing expressing his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. I was thrilled to see the letter, so I responded to Gage with an “in air” greeting.

“At first, I said, ‘Nope, I’m dreaming. It’s fake,’” Gage said. “Then I watched [the video] 10 more times and said, ‘Oh, it’s real.’”

After learning that Gage dreamed of joining the U.S. Air Force as a fighter pilot like me, I wanted to personally encourage that dream.

I spoke with Gage’s class at Excelsior Middle School about the new Boeing T-X training system and brought some models of the jet for the students to see up close. Gage also got the opportunity to step into the shoes of one of his real-life heroes and try on an actual fighter pilot suit.

Read more about how I surprised Gage and the rest of his sixth-grade class at Excelsior Middle School in Iowa.

I was just like Gage when I was a kid. I told him if he continues to work hard, he too can realize his dream of becoming a fighter pilot.

Steve “Bull” Schmidt
Boeing T-X Test Pilot

The post Surprise! Boeing T-X Test Pilot Visits Aspiring Fighter Pilot appeared first on Watch U.S. Fly.

Boeing T-7A is an all-new advanced pilot training system designed specifically for the U.S. Air Force training mission.

Boeing T-7A is the best choice to serve the U.S. Air Force. Here are the top six reasons why:

1. It is American-made.

More than 90 percent of Boeing T-7A is made right here in America. None of the other competing aircraft come close to matching this American-made percentage.

2. It supports thousands of U.S. jobs.

If Boeing’s T-7A is selected by the Air Force, thousands of U.S. jobs would be supported by Boeing and its suppliers. For example, Boeing has selected a supplier in Texas to build wings and other structural pieces at its factory outside of Dallas, which would support almost 1,000 jobs. Boeing itself would support another 1,800 American jobs at its final assembly location in St. Louis.

3.It is an all-new aircraft designed with current and future generations of pilots in mind.

Boeing T-7A is brand new and designed to evolve as technologies, missions and training needs change.

Inside the cockpit, Boeing T-7A uses modern, high-tech displays and instruments to give Air Force trainees a real-life fighter pilot experience.

4.Boeing T-7A was designed specifically for the U.S. Air Force

All elements of the Boeing T-7A training system were designed specifically with U.S. Air Force trainees in mind.

The aircraft has one engine, twin tails, stadium seating and an advanced cockpit with embedded training. The system is designed to evolve as technology, missions and training needs change.

5. It offers outstanding value for taxpayers and our military.

Any aircraft used by our Air Force is vital to our national security efforts. Boeing’s T-7A offers a high standard of quality and safety that is also a good value for taxpayers.

Boeing has taken advantage of the latest technologies, tools and manufacturing techniques to ensure the T-7A is more affordable and flexible than existing aircraft.

Boeing T-7A offers the quality the Air Force demands and the American manufacturing industry alone can provide.

6. It’s more than just an aircraft.

Boeing T-7A is not just an aircraft; it’s an entire fighter pilot training system. The system includes trainer aircraft, ground-based training and support — designed together from the ground up. This all-inclusive system is the best choice for training future generations of fighter pilots.

The post Top 6 Reasons the U.S. Air Force Should Select Boeing T-7A appeared first on Watch U.S. Fly.

The U.S. Air Force issued a challenge to build a new aircraft that will be used to train fighter pilots for generations to come, and Boeing answered the call by providing a purpose-built training system that offers a great value for the taxpayer and superior capability for our military.

Boeing recently announced that its supplier, Texas-based Triumph Group, Inc., will build wings and other structural pieces for T-X at its Texas factory — potentially creating up to 950 new direct and indirect jobs.

Additionally, Saab — Boeing’s T-X partner — announced it would establish a U.S. based production capability for the portion of the aircraft they would manufacture. Ultimately, all of these parts will be assembled at Boeing’s St. Louis facility — potentially supporting another 1,800 American jobs.

Boeing T-X has one engine, twin tails, stadium seating and an advanced cockpit with embedded training. The system is designed to evolve as the Air Force’s technology, missions, and training needs change.

As the Air Force’s competition heats up, please be on the lookout for ways you can help support this American-made aircraft. We’ll need your help speaking out to support “Made in the USA.”

Read more about the new Boeing T-X and the American jobs it will support.

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