Another Cool Airplane Lands At Cheyenne Airport

I heard it. Some saw it fly overhead.

It's always interesting to see what lands at Wyoming airports.

This time it's a Navy/Marine trainer.

Several listeners to my morning radio show sent me photos of their own. Let's take a look at what landed this time in Cheyenne. It's really interesting.

The primary jet trainer used by the United States Marine Corps (shared with the U.S. Navy) is the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk. Yeah, Goshawk is a weird name.

For the airplane GEEKS out there, let's have a look at the specs on this plane.

Key Details
Aircraft: T-45 Goshawk, a tandem-seat, carrier-capable jet trainer derived from the British Aerospace Hawk. It looks a little like the old U.S. Navy Skyhawk.

Role: This plane is used for intermediate and advanced pilot training, including combat maneuvers, instrument flying, and carrier qualifications. It is used by both the Marines and the Navy. You can see the tailhook on the back for landing on aircraft carriers.

Variants:
T-45A: Original version with an analog cockpit (introduced in 1991).
T-45C: Updated version featuring a digital glass cockpit. By Glass cockpit, we mean all computer screens.

Performance: Powered by a single Rolls-Royce F405-RR-401 turbofan engine, it reaches a top speed of around 543–645 mph and a ceiling of 42,500 feet. That really is impressive. But it's still a subsonic airplane.

Replacement: The aging T-45 fleet is currently undergoing a multi-billion-dollar competition to select a modern replacement aircraft. The announcement of what plane might replace the T-45 should be made sometime in 2027.

Living near Wyoming's Casper or Cheyenne airports is a lot of fun. Can't wait to see what lands next.