If all stays on track, the Air Force technical community could see an advanced composite cargo aircraft flight demonstrator (see above) by Sept. 30, 2008. Barth Shenk, program manager, told us earlier this week, that AFRL’s Air Vehicles Directorate is now evaluating proposals submitted last month and expects to finalize its recommendation by the end of this month. Besides asking for a “detailed design description,” the only constraint placed upon contractors was to be innovative and use close to production-ready composite materials. Schenk said that AFRL wants contractors to be free to build aircraft by unconventional means, and in unconventional ways.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.