In light of the need to modernize its training aircraft fleet, the United States Air Force (USAF) has formally begun employing its Embraer A-29C Super Tucano aircraft in the training of new test pilots. This milestone marks the full integration of the Brazilian-designed light attack aircraft into the curriculum of the Test Pilot School (TPS), based at Edwards Air Force Base, California, consolidating an initiative that began to take shape months ago with the transfer of three units from the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC).
The assignment of these three A-29Cs to the TPS, which took place in July 2024 after the aircraft had been temporarily stored at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, represents the first addition of nearly new aircraft to the school in over three decades. Originally acquired by AFSOC under the Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) program—which envisioned the procurement of up to 100 aircraft for counterinsurgency, close air support (CAS), and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions—the planes were eventually withdrawn from active service following the program’s termination and later reassigned to experimental and advanced training roles.
Since arriving at Edwards, the aircraft underwent an extensive maintenance process carried out by the 412th Test Wing, in collaboration with Sierra Nevada Corporation, which is responsible for assembling the Super Tucano in Jacksonville, Florida. At the same time, TPS instructors—led by Major Mateusz Borek—began developing specific flight and maintenance procedures, since, due to the limited use of the A-29 within the Air Force, there had not yet been a formal training course for this platform.
The A-29C has been incorporated as a key tool within the school’s curriculum, providing students with a modern platform for training in stall and spin maneuvers, as well as mission systems and sensors. These capabilities, combined with its flight endurance—exceeding an hour and a half—allow for a greater number of repetitions compared to other aircraft used for similar tasks, such as gliders or F-16s, the latter being reserved for students specializing in fighter aircraft testing.
In addition to flight training, the A-29C is emerging as a valuable platform for testing mission systems, including instruments, sensors, data links, and weaponry. Thanks to its versatility, it can operate with MX-15 sensor pods, employ Link 16 and VORTEX data links, and launch laser-guided bombs and rockets. These features will allow future test pilots to become familiar with systems they will later evaluate on current and emerging Air Force platforms.
Another important benefit is the ability to use the A-29C instead of F-16s for certain evaluation exercises, helping to preserve the airframe life of more expensive aircraft. Additionally, advanced instrumentation systems are being incorporated into the A-29Cs, enabling detailed in-flight data collection and subsequent ground analysis from control rooms, thus expanding TPS’s research capabilities.
In the medium term, the Test Pilot School is also considering integrating the AgilePod into the A-29Cs—a reconfigurable, multipurpose platform developed by the Air Force for rapid ISR technology testing. Furthermore, the Super Tucano’s rear cockpit may be used to train future combat systems officers and unmanned aerial vehicle operators, aligning the use of these aircraft with the development of manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) technologies.
*Image credits: Jennifer Healy / USAF.
