Harvard( AT-6, SNJ-4, Texan) reputation.

Ok, thanks guys. I like the Harvard & asked as it did seem a strange comment that I had read. I’d heard a few people alluding to there being things to watch out for other than standard flight safety stuff sometime ago.

Consider, also, if you will, that this is a plane that was specifically designed to be underpowered to simulate the combat loads that a loaded up fighter would carry during the war….they could have easily stuck an R-1820 or -1830 or even -2000 engine on the front to boost the power and performance, but that was not the intent…the intent was to get pilots used to having a plane under them that handled like a dog, so they knew what they could and could NOT get away with….however, that being said…they must have done SOMETHING right with that plane for it to have lasted as long as it has and in the numbers it has. It has been my camera ship on MANY a photo mission and I always love the ride…get up in one if you ever get the chance.

Mark

Here’s the link to the Harvard report:

http://www.airbum.com/pireps/PirepT-6.html

Cheers

Paul

From all I have read on this wonderful aircraft, it does indeed have a bit of a reputation mainly has a great trainer but also because of the following points:

1)It has a tendency to ‘Flick’ Out Of A Tight Turn

2)Can be a handful on the ground – i’e will groundloop if provoked

3)It does run out of steam quickly during aerobatics.

I assume this is were the ‘Sack Of Spuds’ thing comes into play!

Also it appears that it has quite heavy controls as well.

I was reading a Pilot report on the web about flying the Spitfire ( it was the South African high back IX which crashed in 2000, can’t remember the serial, TE2??) and he talked about the lightness of the Spitfires controls and remarked that he had done some aero’s in a Harvard a few weeks before and his arms ached for several days after!

I think the ‘Pilot Maker’ just about sums up how people regard this plane.

Btw, I did find an article on the web about flying the T6.

When I find it, I’ll post the link.

Cheers

Paul

I am unaware of the AT-6 having the “flying characteristics of a sack of spuds under certain conditions”.Like most(all) aircraft when you go out of the flight envelope,you can get yourself into trouble ,no matter if your flying a Cessna 150 ,AT-6 or perhaps B747 .
For instance the approach speed for the AT-6 is about 90 knots ias,(short finals 75-70KTS) . For a short field approach its about 65 KT ias.If you go below 65 KTS and your low and missuse the controls (and consider weather factor) ,your setting yourself up for some real problems.

The AT-6 afterall is a trainer, to prepare the pilot for more powerful aircraft, ie Spitfire ,P-51 mustang or Vampire and so on.Fly the aircraft in a safe proffessional manor and its docile. But it will bite the careless and fool hardy.

I think it refers to some tricky low speed querks. I think the old joke goes that you need about 100 hours on P51’s before you’re ready to move to the T6..

🙂