U.S. Navy T-34C Turbo Mentor Becoming a Rare Sight as Replacement Looms

By Carmelo Turdo

The U.S. Navy T-34C Turbo Mentor, once the mainstay of primary pilot training wings, is rapidly disappearing from first-line service as the T-6B Texan II takes over this role.  Two T-34Cs from TAW-4, based at NAS Corpus Christi, TX,  stopped in at St. Louis Downtown Airport in May, and another in mid-July.  TAW-4's transition to the T-6B should take place between 2012 and 2014.  Three T-34C's, one from TAW-4 and two from TAW-5 were painted in Centennial of Naval Aviation colors representing the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard.  As these aircraft are retired, some will go to museums, but most will be destroyed rather than become available on the civilian market due to age and fatigue life issues.  Here a some views of the T-34C at St. Louis Downtown Airport July 15:

    

St. Louis Downtown Airport Is Hub of Medical Flights Serving St. Louis Hospitals

By Carmelo Turdo

St. Louis Downtown Airport, with its location just a few miles from some of the nation's best hospitals in downtown St. Louis, has become a hub of medical flights in recent weeks. BK 117B-1 airlift helicopters known as KidsFlight 1 and KidsFlight 2, along with a Pilatus PC-12/45 KidsFlight 3, are based at the airport and serve St. Louis Children's Hospital. Arch/Air Methods BK-117B-2 and Air Evac Life Team Bell 206L-1 Long Ranger helicopters land and refuel after local flights. Last weekend, two flights landed at the airport, and waiting ambulances were used to transport patients to St. Louis area hospitals. On Saturday, a Cessna 414 from Buffalo, New York arrived and later took off to return home. On Sunday, a Cessna Citation flown by Air Ambulance by Air Trek also delivered a patient and later took off. The increase in medical flights to St. Louis Downtown Airport is a tribute to the excellence of St. Louis medical facilities, and the ideal location of the airport.

  

U.S. Navy T-6B Texan II "Yellow Peril" Departs St. Louis Downtown Airport

By Carmelo Turdo

Visitors to the Greater St. Louis Air Space Museum at St. Louis Downtown Airport today were able to view a very special aircraft - theT-6B (BuNo 166064) "Texan II" from VT-3 "Red Knights" of NAS Whiting Field, FL for a second day. The aircraft is painted in the "Yellow Peril" Centennial of U.S. Naval Aviation paint scheme in salute to the primary training aircraft of the 1930-1950. The aircraft was painted new at the Hawker Beechcraft factory in Wichita, Kansas. The aircraft departed St. Louis Downtown Airport this afternoon. Here are some views of the crew preparing for takeoff.

  

Sightings: Centennial of U.S. Naval Aviation "Yellow Peril" T-6B Texan at St. Louis Downtown Airport

By Carmelo Turdo

Visitors to the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum at St. Louis Downtown Airport today were able to view a very special aircraft - theT-6B (BuNo 166064) "Texan II" from VT-3 "Red Knights" of NAS Whiting Field, FL. The aircraft is painted in the "Yellow Peril" Centennial of U.S. Naval Aviation paint scheme in salute to the primary training aircraft of the 1930-1950.  The aircraft was painted new at the Hawker Beechcraft factory in Wichita, Kansas. Here is the aircraft at all angles as it was parked in front of the museum.