AIR Tractor At-602 Air Tractor

Single Turboprop· 238 globally registered

The Beechcraft T-6A Texan II is the primary trainer aircraft for the United States Air Force and Navy, serving as the bridge between initial flight screening and advanced tactical aircraft. Developed jointly by Beechcraft and Pilatus in the late 1990s as a militarized derivative of the Swiss PC-9, the T-6A entered service in 2000 and has since trained virtually every U.S. military pilot who earned their wings in the 21st century. The aircraft's tandem-seat cockpit features a glass panel that replicates the avionics environment of frontline fighters and transports, allowing student pilots to master modern systems integration before transitioning to operational types. Its 1,100-shaft-horsepower Pratt & Whitney PT6A-68 turboprop delivers strong performance across the training envelope, from basic aerobatics to instrument approaches, while maintaining relatively low operating costs compared to jet trainers. The T-6A can sustain +7/-3.5 G and routinely demonstrates loops, rolls, and spins as part of the undergraduate pilot training syllabus. Beyond U.S. military service, the type has been exported to more than a dozen allied air forces worldwide, and a small number of civilian-registered examples operate in the United States under contract for adversary support, flight test chase, and advanced pilot training missions. These civilian AT6Ts are typically former military airframes acquired through government surplus or operated by defense contractors providing services to military installations. SkyMeter has tracked 1,892 flights across 89 airframes and 65 operators, with CENTRAL IOWA AGRICULTURAL AVIATION LLC the largest observed operator.