MOOSE JAW — On April 20, senior members of the Royal Canadian Air Force at 15 Wing Moose Jaw presented the latest basic flying training aircraft, the CT-102B Astra II.
Twenty-three of these aircraft will be based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw as part of a pilot training program under Future Aircrew Training (FAcT). Once the program is fully operational, every pilot at RCAF will train on the CT-102B Astra II.
According to the presentation, the aircraft is far superior to its predecessor, the CT-102A Astra, with greater speed, flying altitude and performance and the program is a renewed vision of resilience for the security of Canada.
During the presentation, audience members heard from members of the Royal Canadian Air Force and industry partners. Dignitaries emphasized the importance of technology and collaboration.
According to Colonel Adam Carlson, 15 Wing Moose Jaw Commander, “Occasions like this invite reflections, they allow us to look forward with confidence, while acknowledging the strong legacy upon which we continue to build.”
Multiple teams are involved in this program. These teams will go over all the details and procedures, Kevin Lemke, general manager of SlyAlyne said.
“A huge amount of activity goes into making this happen.”
During the event, the audience members were invited outside the hangar for flight demonstrations and a closer look at the aircraft.
With CT-102B Astra II flying in the background, Peter Saudners, Director General of Integrated Air and Missile Defence spoke about the partnership with SlyAlyne, saying, “We selected a partner; that partner knows what we need, they know our requirements and they have selected an aircraft for us that will underpin the training environment in the Air Force for the next quarter century.”
Technical details of the aircraft are:
- Fleet Size: 23
- Length: 8.4 m
- Wingspan: 10.3 m
- Height: 2.7 m
- Empty Weight: 1,095 kg
- Maximum speed: 454 km/h
- Range: 1,342 km
- Location: Moose Jaw, Sask.
