The Unfulfilled Promise of the Fairchild T-46

The modernized trainer developed for the U.S. Air Force in the 1980s was meant to replace the aging fleet of Cessna T-37 ’Tweets.’

Jason McDowell

Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 11:48 AM ET

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Essentially a modernized T-37 with pressurization, the Fairchild T-46 was positioned for success until its ultimate cancellation. [Courtesy: Edwards Air Force Base History Office]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force sought to replace its aging T-37 "Tweet" primary trainer in the early 1980s with a more modern aircraft offering increased performance and updated avionics.
Fairchild's T-46 "Next Generation Trainer" was chosen for the role but encountered significant design problems, including high drag, inadequate stall warning, control issues, and excessive weight.
Compounded by Fairchild's internal struggles with cost and schedule, along with congressional budget cuts, the T-46 program was ultimately canceled in March 1987 after only three prototypes had flown.
Despite its potential for future development and export, the T-46 never entered service, though all three prototype aircraft survive today in various aviation museums.

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Since its introduction in 1957, the trusty Cessna T-37 “Tweet” had served the U.S. Air Force well.

It fulfilled primary trainer duties for more than 20 years and was modified to serve as a light ground attack aircraft in the form of the A-37 Dragonfly. However, as the 1980s approached, so did the end of the T-37’s projected life cycle, and military leaders determined a more modern replacement was needed.