Fairchild-Republic T-46: the debacle of the NGT winner

[Iranian F-14A]

Anyone have a 3-view of the T-46 Eaglet that was seleceted to replace the T-37?

 

[Antonio]

I'll try to post the eaglet later

 

[Antonio]

Here's the T-46 as promised
Source is Flaps magazine number 282


Cheers
Antonio

 

[elmayerle]

The T-46 was a good basic design ruined by excreable detail design work and feeble design fix/patch work. I've heard stories from folk who were there and they make me shudder (also make me glad I didn't take their offer in 1982 and went west to Northrop instead).

 

[hesham]

Other NGT submissions (as in 1981) include General Dynamics M-210, Gulf Stream, Rockwell Nova (as already posted). I also include a Fairchild design concept looking like a mini A-10.

Another competition of interest was VTX for a navy trainer to operate from aircraft carriers.

This Fairchild shape was one of 30 cnfigurations evaluated by the company
before arriving at the definitive T-46.


http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%201122.html

 

[Pyrrhic victory]

NGT and T-46, the beginning of the end of the aerospace industry on Long Island

 

[Dynoman]

Nice cutaway from Global Flight and cockpit from US Cockpits: T-46

 

[fightingirish]

4 pictures of the Fairchild T-46 at the SDASM Archives.
Link: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=T-46&w=49487266%40N07

 

[Stargazer]

The sub-scale demonstrator of the T-46A was the Rutan Aircraft Factory Model 73 built by Ames Industrial (previously posted by AeroFranz on November 28, 2010 in the old NGT/VTX topic):

 

[AeroFranz]

From an AvWeek article of July 12th 1982

FAIRCHILD WINS TRAINER AWARD

[...] Fairchild and Garrett were selected over Rockwell international and Cessna aircraft. Gulfstream american and Ensign aircraft Co. had been eliminated earlier for being non-responsive to the service's request for proposals. general Dynamics and a team of Vought corp. and RFB with the Fantrainer had removed themselves from the competition prior to the data submission date [...].

[...] "The three manufacturer's cost estimates and performance figures were relatively in line with each other, but Fairchild had a few factors that I believe had to have helped in getting the award" One Air Force officer said.
"The first one was that the company went the extra mile and had an outside contractor build a 62% scale flying model of its aircraft. When Fairchild submitted preliminary flight test data, it had some basis for its estimates, and not just a paper aircraft"

we know how well the scale model data and the full-size correlated ;D

"The second factor was that fairchild's A-10 production is winding down in 1985, and the NGT production will fit in after that date, so they have the facilities and people available."

Rockwell, on the other had, had just picked up an order for 100 B-1Bs...

 

[cluttonfred]

Does anyone know of a good source for the story of the trials and tribulations of the NGT program and the ultimate demise of Fairchild Republic?

 

[Stargazer]

Does anyone know of a good source for the story of the trials and tribulations of the NGT program and the ultimate demise of Fairchild Republic?

I have a few Aviation Week clippings from the period, which shed some light on the story, and also a good article somewhere but I need to find it... :-\

 

[robunos]

Try 'The Thunder Factory', Joshua Stoff, Arms and Armour, 1990, ISBN 1-85409-040-2.


cheers,
Robin.

 

[cluttonfred]

Found and ordered, thanks!

Try 'The Thunder Factory', Joshua Stoff, Arms and Armour, 1990, ISBN 1-85409-040-2.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

There's an excellent article in Wings/Airpower on the T-46 and the demise of Republic. I happen to have that sort of unearthed so will look up the issue and post that info.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Stargazer]

There's an excellent article in Wings/Airpower on the T-46 and the demise of Republic. I happen to have that sort of unearthed so will look up the issue and post that info.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

Yep, that's the one I was thinking about. If you can find it, that would be great.

 

[Weaver]

Just been reading about the T-46 on What If modellers and remembered that I had a sales leaflet that I picked up at Farnborough one year, back in the days when the T-46 was alive project.

 

[Triton]

Model of Fairchild T-46 sold along with model of Douglas T-45 found on eBay.

URL:
http://cgi.ebay.com/USN-USAF-TRAINERS-T45A-MADE-IT-T46-FAILED-VG-COND-/120731509281?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1c28a221

 

[Mark Nankivil]

I'm bidding on that right now!

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Triton]

Images of the model of Fairchild T-46 sold along with model of Douglas T-45 found on eBay.

 

[Triton]

Source:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d165/hws5mp/FairchildT-460001.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d165/hws5mp/FairchildT-460002.jpg

 

[fightingirish]

Interesting article of the Fairchild T-46 Eaglet in the newest issue of the German magazine "Klassiker der Luftfahrt 05-2011".

 

[Stargazer]

A useful reminder of the NGT program's inception:

In 1979, the T-37 Tweet primary aircraft trainer had been in the US Air Force inventory for 22 years. Serious operational deficiencies and the looming obsolescence of the T-37 fleet provided the impetus for the Next Generation Trainer (NGT) program. The operational deficiencies were numerous and included: lack of cabin pressurization; lack of fuel efficiency; limited range; limited weather capability; performance limitations in the traffic pattern; outdated instrument displays; excessive engine noise; and a limited ejection capability. Moreover, the aircraft was almost at the end of its life cycle.

NGT and Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) represented an attempt to reduce student pilot attrition by eliminating the questionable students before they wasted valuable resources. After the Department of Defense granted approval for NGT in June of 1979, the Air Force’s Aeronautical Systems Division (ASD) solicited proposals from companies to replace the T-37. The procurement plan established a projected buy of approximately 650 aircraft: 483 for Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT), 38 for Undergraduate Navigator Training (UNT), 43 for Accelerated Copilot Enrichment (ACE), and 86 for Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT). The projected production of 3,557 aviators each month based on an individual aircraft utilization rate of 60 hours of flying dictated the procurement figures. By October 1981, five companies (Cessna, Ensign, Fairchild Republic, Gulfstream American, and Rockwell) had demonstrated interest and the request for proposal (RFP) was released in October 1981. On 2 July 1982, Secretary of the Air Force Verne Orr announced that Fairchild Republic and Garrett Turbine Engine Company would team as contractors. The NGT would be designated the T-46A. Compared to the T-37, the T-46A would have increased performance, improved maintainability, reduced fuel consumption, lower operating costs, and improved capability to operate in adverse weather. If the design for the T-46A as proposed by Fairchild Republic performed as expected, it would have met or exceeded all of the required performance standards set out in the proposal.

Very interesting insight on the T-46A debacle:

In September 1986, Secretary of the Air Force Edward C. “Pete” Aldridge, Jr. intimated that the contract for the T-46A should not be renewed and the program should die a slow death. Secretary Aldridge confirmed the need for Congress to not appropriate funds for the contract and then allow the contract officers to negotiate an appropriate settlement with Fairchild Republic and Garrett. This move essentially killed the program. Why did such a promising program get terminated within 4 years of beginning? There were multiple causes for the failure.

During the contract negotiations, the Air Force demanded overlapping both development and production of the aircraft. This was a very aggressive stance for the procurement of both a completely new aircraft and a new engine design. The AF decided to accept 26 aircraft before flight testing was even completed. The Air Force also massaged the production schedule to keep the program within expected funding limits. One trick employed by the Air Force was moving some of the costs of the program (engine testing and simulator development) out from underneath the T-46A “umbrella.” At the beginning of the contract, there was no commercially available engine that could be used for the T-46A. Therefore, the Garrett Turbine Company had to develop an engine within 33 months, a feat that the Garrett people felt they could accomplish. However, Garrett included time for testing after production had already begun. The evidence shows that both Garrett and Fairchild Republic may have used this contract to shore up ailing corporations in a vain attempt to save them both. After contract award in July 1982, many observers suspected that Fairchild-Republic agreed to this aggressive strategy because the company’s A-10 aircraft was nearing the end of production and the Republic SF-340 was also having major production problems.

Republic made a major mistake in early 1985, when the T-46A was unveiled. By all appearances, a beautiful aircraft rolled out on 11
February 1985, but the Air Force staff was “horrified” to discover the aircraft lacked over 1,200 internal components and some skin sections were fabricated out of fiberglass and made to look like finished sheet metal. The discovery of this trickery soured relations between the company and the Air Force. Secretary of Defense Weinberger invoked a rarely used contractor review to ascertain what was wrong at Fairchild Republic.

In 1985, a Contractor Operations Review (COR) team went to the Fairchild Republic plant in Farmingdale, NY to evaluate the overall
effectiveness of Fairchild’s management systems and their ability to meet contractual requirements. The review identified 279 findings in the eight functional areas reviewed. In response to the COR, Fairchild implemented actions to correct the items reported and identified 7 underlying causes:

• High turnover rate of senior management and organizational changes
• Reduced reinvestment levels in recent years in plant facilities, equipment, and centralized capabilities.
• Deteriorated employee morale and dedication in recent years
• Inadequate emphasis on quality, safety, and schedule in some products and systems
• Failure at most levels in the work force to meet productivity targets.
• Optimism in forecasting, particularly in new program proposals, causing overruns and schedule delays from the onset.
• Failure to follow management development and succession plans.

In spite of the company’s problems, the T-46A aircraft initially met or exceeded expectations, but Fairchild could not meet its contractual obligations. In FY87, Congress did not appropriate funds for the NGT program, and the T-46A program ceased to exist.

Source: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a420511.pdf

 

[Sundog]

Thanks for the info, I always thought the T-46 failed simply because it didn't meet the specs.

 

[Stargazer]

The NGT and VTX-TS thread has been split. This here topic deals with the Fairchild-Republic T-46A winner.

 

[Stargazer]

Pictures of a model that appeared on eBay a while ago:

 

[Stargazer]

Previously shared by Dynoman on November 25, 2009 in the NGT/VTX thread, a pdf document on the U.S. Government's Fairchild NGT award reasoning.

http://archive.gao.gov/pdf/122777.pdf

 

[Stargazer]

Sometimes it's impossible to split a topic without also splitting a post... which is technically impossible, it must go to one topic alone.

Here are a few interesting remarks on the T-46A from posts dated May 14, 2008 and dealing with other programs:

NGT was saddled with conflicting requirements: side-by-side, pressurized, zero-zero seats, expanded pilot population (which meant a big cockpit and canopy) plus high-bypass engines that wouldn't blow out in a stall and spin (big inlet lips). Hence the tadpole-like, utterly appalling T-46.

Maybe it was just some understandable spite for having lost the competition, but he said the T-46 should have never won and that the decision was political, to save Fairchild. Ironically Fairchild went under anyway, a few years later.

In light of the T-46's problems and eventual cancellation, I'd say this person's assessment was correct. I would also argue that the USAF requirements for NGT probably missed the mark on meeting the real warfighter needs, in light of the way the replacement effort (JPATS) ended up. The eventual Tweet replacement, the T-6 Texan II, is much simpler than the needlessly-complex T-46.

 

[Stargazer]

T-46A inboard profile (Fairchild Republic document):

 

[Bazinga]

I took this picture at 1983 Le Bourget. What is the story on this?

 

[Stargazer]

Neat pics! Thanks for sharing.

The FRC-225 was the sub-scale demonstrator designed by Burt Rutan (Model 73) and built by Ames Industries for Fairchild Republic as their contender in the NGT competition.

 

[Bazinga]

Really? I have a single seat version pic of that. This FRC-225 def looks like a two seater.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

FRC-225 was a T-46A derivative aimed at European requirements, e.g.

Fairchild is hoping that its FRC 225 Full Spectrum Trainer, shown at Paris in mockup form, has a chance with the RAF. Developed from the US Air Force T-46A, the 225FST "is quite closely compatible with RAF requirements. The twin-engine configuration is a plus mark versus the RAF's single-engine requirement". Fairchild would set up international production for the RAF: "If they have the T-46 or FST, and our Navy has Hawk, then we have a good trade balance and a more common pilot philosophy."

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1983/1983%20-%200998.html

 

[Stargazer]

Really? I have a single seat version pic of that. This FRC-225 def looks like a two seater.

Oops. My bad. I think the whole program got the FRC-225 designation, but obviously this is a two-seater, something I had not noticed in my haste to answer...
Paul's quote calls it the "225FST" (Foreign Systems Trainer?) so what we're looking at here is most likely a full-scale mockup, as there were only four aircraft built: the Rutan 73, the two YT-46A prototypes and one production T-46A.

 

[LowObservable]

Ah, the infamous Thunderpiglet, aka Javelina*, aka Eliminator (the last one came about during the flight test program).

First AV was delivered with an OEW greater than planned MTOW. Drag exceeded estimates by 50 per cent. The target max level speed was achieved late in the (by that time, clearly doomed) program in a 40 degree dive.

Result of birdstrike test: Chicken deformed windshield enough to pass under canopy arch and strike standby compass, turning the latter into lethal shrapnel.

"Eliminator" name bestowed by FT team after discovery that one-engine-inoperative level flight after takeoff could not be sustained with gear extended.

One aircraft departed EAFB for WPAFB after program termination, destination AF Museum. AF Systems Command boss hears of mission, countermands orders and sends jet to AMARG, stated reason being "this piece of **** does not come back here." (Eventually, one did.)

Aside from a jacked-up set of requirements, one basic problem, as outlined to me, was that FR had a lot of veteran designers who could probably have made the jet work the old way, but the bosses insisted on a lot of computers.

One of my bosses at the time was a huge fan of the AT-46A armed version. Army guy, naturally.

* aka Peccary, a medium-sized feral hog that is a runway pest at some SW USAF bases.

 

[Stargazer]

Cool info, LowObservable, especially the bit about level flight on one engine with gear extended... :

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Triton]

Fairchild T-46 Eaglet model by Toys and Models Corporation found on eBay.

URL:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NICE-EARLY-FAIRCHILD-REPUBLIC-CO-T-46-AIRPLANE-DESK-MODEL-TOY-MODEL-CORP-/171186868541?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27db88513d

 

[Stargazer]

The painting finishes do not reveal a very high standard of craftsmanship. Makes me wonder if it's a sign of Fairchild Republic's dire situation at the time or if the model is either a newly-built passing off as old (or perhaps a hasty restoration of the original model in not-so-capable hands). Check out the lines around the cockpit or the borders of the anti-reflection area below the windshield!

 

[Triton]

The model was manufactured by Toys and Models Corporation and is therefore unofficial.

 

[circle-5]

The model was manufactured by Toys and Models Corporation and is therefore unofficial.

Actually, this is a case where Fairchild-Hiller did, in fact, contract with Toys & Models for their official T-46 desktop promo models. The tooling costs for Topping-Precise injected-mold plastic were more than Fairchild could afford, so they went with this.

It's not spectacular, but it's accurate, and as "official" as it gets. The $80 price is fair, and the passable quality is about the same as the real T-46. What's not to like?