T-38A CATEGORY 2 PERFORMANCE TEST

The T-38 airplane is a two place tandem supersonic trainer manufactured by the Norair Division of the Northrop Corporation. The mission of the airplane is to accomplish all phases of basic pilot training, including day and night transition, formation, navigation, instrument and acrobatic flying. The airplane is powered by two General Electric J85-GE-5 engines rated at 3850 lbs. of thrust each. With maximum power, the airplane can readily takeoff in 2500 ft and clear a 50 ft obstacle in 3200 ft. With military power, the takeoff roll is 3900 ft and a total distance or 5400 ft is required to clear a 50 ft obstacle. This performance is achieved at a gross weight of 12,000 lbs utilizing 45 flaps. With maximum power, a sea level rate of climb of 30,000 ftmin is available at a gross weight of 11,000 lbs and the time to climb to 40,000 ft is only 2.5 minutes. The combat ceiling of the aircraft 500 ftmin rate of climb is 51,000 ft. With single engine at maximum power, a rate of climb of 5500 ftmin is available at sea level and a combat ceiling of 37,000 ft can be attained. The maximum calculated ferry range of the aircraft is 954 nau mi. This range is computed in accordance with landing reserves of MIL-C-5011A from level flight speedpower data. This range is available at the optimum cruise conditions of Mach 0.88 and a weight-pressure ration of 58,000 lbs.