Boeing’s Second T-X Completes First Flight

Boeing has completed an initial flight with its T-X entry, the company announced Monday. The flight lasted one hour, and T-X test pilot Steve Schmidt and Boeing test pilot for Air Force programs Matt Giese “validated key aspects of the aircraft and further demonstrated the low-risk and performance of the design, proving its repeatability in manufacturing,” according to a press release. Boeing is partnering with Saab on its entrant to become the Air Force’s fifth-generation training jet. The second Boeing T-X is identical to the first, which completed its initial flight in December of 2016 and has been flying as many as four sorties a day since then. “The jet handled exactly like the first aircraft and the simulator, meeting all expectations,” said Giese, according to the release. “The front and back cockpits work together seamlessly and the handling is superior. It’s the perfect aircraft for training future generations of combat pilots.”