Historic Flight: AETC commander becomes first non-test pilot to fly T-7A Red Hawk

  • Published
  • By T-7 Program Office
  • Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  

On a clear spring morning over the Mojave Desert, Air Force Lt. Gen. Brian S. Robinson, commander of Air Education and Training Command, made history as the first non-test pilot to fly the T-7A Red Hawk. The milestone flight took place April 30 at Edwards Air Force Base, underscoring the program’s progress and the Air Force’s commitment to modernizing pilot training.

Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson, Air Education and Training Command commander, walks away from a T-7A Red Hawk, following a successful flight with instructor Lt. Col. Jonathan Aronoff, 416th Flight Test Squadron, at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif, April 30. Robinson became the first non-test pilot to fly the T-7A. His flight represented a significant demonstration of progress and commitment to modernizing pilot training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jennifer Healy)
 
Robinson pulled back on the stick at 10:38 a.m., with Lt. Col. Jonathan Aronoff, 416th Flight Test Squadron, instructing from the rear seat. After a 1.2-hour flight, Robinson sat the airplane down smoothly, at 11:42 a.m., under mostly sunny skies. The flight also marked the first opportunity for Air Force Materiel Command to provide AETC direct collaborative hands-on experience with the aircraft.
 
“The jet flies really well – smooth, stable, like a dream,” said Robinson. “It is exciting to see firsthand what the T-7 is capable of, and I am confident this jet will deliver military aviation competencies to future undergraduate pilot training students to be ready for modern operational missions and platforms.”

 

"Lt. Gen. Robinson's flight showcases the strong partnership between our test and operational communities,” said Brig. Gen. Doug Wickert, 412th Test Wing commander at Edwards. “It also demonstrates our sense of urgency within the test enterprise and across the Air Force, within safe operating environments, to deliver leading-edge training capabilities to our future warfighters.”

 
Robinson cited the role and relevance of the T-7 specifically to the AETC enterprise.
 
“The T-7 is an integral part of transforming pilot training to sustainably produce pilots in the quantities the Air Force requires,” he said. “AETC looks forward to a safe and reliable T-7 aircraft at Randolph in December 2025 so that we may quickly begin operational test and integration into pilot training.”

The T-7A, developed by Boeing and Saab, will replace the legacy T-38 Talon and prepare pilots for the demands of fifth-generation combat aviation. It features modern digital flight controls, advanced avionics and embedded training capabilities tailored for a new era of airpower.
 
Aronoff, who leads the T-7A Integrated Test Force, highlighted the significance of bringing AETC’s top leader into the cockpit.
 
“We were able to provide General Robinson relevant flight experience on the aircraft to inform and showcase its current capabilities,” he said. “These early looks are crucial for AETC as they update their courseware, map the future of pilot training and develop syllabi to train the next generation of combat aviators.

“As developmental flight test continues to open the flight envelope and unlock capabilities,” said Aronoff, “it’s important for our customers to track our progress, remain informed on test results and provide feedback. So, we’re working hand in hand with AETC to ensure we’re delivering the right capabilities at the right time.”
 
The flight was a notable testament to the platform’s maturity and the test wing’s growing confidence in its systems, said Aronoff.

“From the onset of the T-7A program, in partnership with our AETC, test community and industry teammates, we have been shaping requirements and driving innovation to field this aircraft,” said Rodney Stevens, program executive officer for training at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. “To see General Robinson’s flight was a memorable moment, and a reflection of years of hard work and dedication by so many in delivering an advance pilot training capability to our Air Force.

“I’m very proud,” Stevens said, “of our T-7A Program Office team for their key role in getting us to this point and the role they will continue to play over the life of the program.”

As well as replacing AETC’s T-38 aircraft, the Air Force is replacing associated ground-based training systems, or simulators, with new systems that will provide advanced training capabilities needed to train future Air Force pilots to fly fourth and fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
 
The name Red Hawk honors the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, the famed African American fighter and bomber pilots, aircrew, maintainers and others who flew or supported signature red-tailed aircraft during World War II.

The Red Hawk is expected to usher in a new chapter for pilot training, bridging today’s aviators with the technology and tactics of tomorrow. (412th Test Wing Public Affairs contributed to this story)

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Brian S. Robinson, commander of Air Education and Training Command (AETC), made history as the first non-test pilot to fly the T-7A Red Hawk. (Air Force photo by CJ Raterman)