Tucano Tales: A-29C operations formally begin at the USAF Test Pilot School Published July 7, 2025 By Chase Kohler 412th Test Wing EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Instructors at Air Force Test Pilot School depart Edwards Air Force Base in California during an A-29C training flight. The A-29C Super Tucano fleet has begun formal integration into school's curriculum. This new aircraft provides students with a modern platform for instruction in aerial spins, sensors and mission systems training, while also giving the school an additional aircraft type for data collection during research projects. (Air Force photo by James West) The Air Force Test Pilot School is working judiciously to integrate three recently acquired A-29C Super Tucano aircraft into the student flight curriculum. In partnership with the Air Force Test Center and the Sierra Nevada Corporation, the airplanes will soon provide critical cutting-edge instruction to future test leaders. The A-29 is unique in many ways. Designed to be an affordable, lightweight, multirole airframe, the aircraft was briefly evaluated by Air Force Special Operations Command before being temporarily stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. Due to limited use, the A-29 is one of the few aircraft within the current Air Force inventory that lacks a formal training course and is not utilized operationally. This contrasts with the broader A-29 fleet, which is widely used across the globe by allied nations to provide counter insurgency and reconnaissance operations. The ability to fly multiple mission sets makes this aircraft the right choice for the school’s modernization efforts, according to Maj. Mateusz Borek, Air Force Test Pilot School. Three TPS instructors ferried the A-29s to Edwards with zero formal flight training on the aircraft. They prepared by studying the flight manual, talking to A-29 maintainers, and studying what is known as the 3-3 publication, or key tactics, techniques and procedures unique to the aircraft. To further mitigate risk, the instructors completed qualification flights in the T-6 Texan and the PC-21, which have similar flying and handling characteristics. Maj. Mateusz Borek, flight sciences assistant department chair and chief A-29 test pilot for the Air Force Test Pilot School, prepares for a training sortie at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The A-29C Super Tucano fleet recently began formal integration into school's curriculum. The new aircraft provides students with a modern platform for instruction in aerial spins, sensors and mission systems training, while also giving the school an additional aircraft type for data collection during research projects. (Air Force photos by Jennifer Healy) “Even though I wasn’t testing the A-29C per se, the thrill of getting into an aircraft I’ve never flown before, solo, was unmatched” said Borek, who serves as flight sciences assistant department chair and A-29 chief pilot. “I studied the flight manual meticulously and mentally rehearsed the flight more than I can remember. "The USAF Test Pilot School had a big hand in preparing me for scenarios such as this one," said Borek. "While I was a student, I flew more than 20 different airplanes. The school didn’t provide me with extraordinary abilities. Instead, it taught me critical thinking and evaluation skills that can only be gained with countless hours of academics, sims and hands-on experiences”. Once safely on the ground, the A-29s spent the next six months going through extensive maintenance in collaboration with the Sierra Nevada Corporation. This allowed instructors to thoroughly study the aircraft, refine procedures and develop a comprehensive training plan. The modern avionics and robust airframe design allow the A-29 to be one of few aircraft within the Test Pilot School curriculum to be utilized for multiple events and lessons, or what the school defines as a jack-of-all-trades aircraft. The aircraft will first primarily be used for stall and spin training, according to Borek. Evaluating and testing stall and spin characteristics of aircraft is a crucial skill set for every TPS graduate. While the school currently has a glider spin sortie and an F-16 departure flight in the curriculum, the former offers limited repetitions and flight dynamics, while the latter is only applicable to graduates who go on to test fighter aircraft. The A-29 can execute many types of spins and has a flight endurance of more than one-and-a-half hours, maximizing learning for all students. Once these flights are established, the school’s curriculum will delve into the A-29's mission systems. The aircraft can carry an MX-15 electro-optical and infrared imaging system, or sensor ball, utilize the Link 16 tactical data network, communicate through a VORTEX tactical data link, and employ laser-guided bombs and rockets. These systems will equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to test and evaluate similar mission systems on current and emerging platforms. The Tucano systems will also help reduce flying hour and maintenance strain on the Edwards F-16 fleet by allowing the student sensors demo, weapons demo and mission systems practical exam to be uniquely performed using the A-29. As with any test asset, the A-29 requires installation of special instrumentation to enable advanced data collection and control room operations, which is currently ongoing. The school is also exploring potential integration of the Agile Pod, which allows operators to customize sensor packages and would further enhance mission systems capabilities. With five weapon stations per aircraft, the A-29 also allows future flexibility for research and development efforts through the school’s research division. As the concept of manned-to-unmanned teaming grows across air operations, the Tucano's backseat offers a dedicated controller station that can be utilized by future combat systems officers and remotely piloted aircraft students. “The more we learn about the A-29C Super Tucano, the more robust our syllabus becomes. This is an exciting time to be an instructor and student at the school,” said Borek. A-29 operations will continue to increase throughout the summer, with class 25A becoming the first group of students to fly the aircraft.