Fairchild T-46

The Fairchild T-46 (nicknamed the "Eaglet") was an American light jet trainer aircraft of the 1980s. It was cancelled in 1986 with only three aircraft being produced.

Design and development
The United States Air Force (USAF) launched its Next Generation Trainer (NGT) program to replace the Cessna T-37 Tweet primary trainer in 1981. Fairchild-Republic submitted a shoulder-winged monoplane with a twin-tail, powered by two Garrett F109 turbofans and with pilot and instructor sitting side-by-side.

In order to validate the proposed aircraft's design, and to explore its flight handling characteristics, Fairchild Republic contracted with Ames Industries of Bohemia, New York to build a flyable 62% scale version. Burt Rutan's Rutan Aircraft Factory (RAF) in Mojave, California was contracted to perform the flight test evaluations, with test pilot Dick Rutan doing the flying. The scale version was known at RAF as the Model 73 NGT, this flying on 10 September 1981.

Fairchild's design, to be designated T-46, was announced winner of the NGT competition on July 2, 1982, with the USAF placing an order for two prototypes and options for 54 production aircraft.

The aircraft first flew on October 15, 1985, but was cancelled a little more than a year later, for reasons that largely remain controversial. The T-46 was the last project of the Fairchild Republic Corporation, and after the program termination Fairchild had no more income. Without any new contracts and the NGT program cancelled, the company closed the Republic factory in Farmingdale, New York, bringing 60 years of Fairchild aircraft manufacturing to an end.



The aircraft itself featured a side by side configuration, a twin (or "H") tail (similar to the company's A-10), ejection seats, pressurization, and two turbofan engines. Had it gone into full production the NGT program called for 650 aircraft being built up to 1992. There was potential for some overseas sales as well, such as in the light ground attack role in addition to its role as a trainer.

Operators

 * United States Air Force
 * United States Air Force

Aircraft on display
All three prototypes have been preserved:
 * 84-0492 can be seen at the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
 * 84-0493 is under restoration at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
 * 85-1596 can be seen at the AMARG "Celebrity Row" during the AMARG bus tour from the Pima Air Museum, Arizona
 * The Model 73 NGT Flight Demonstrator can be seen at the Cradle of Aviation Museum, New York