Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma resumed flying its T-6A Texan II trainer planes Dec. 5 after grounding the turboprops for nearly three weeks due to recent physiological events.
While investigators have not pinpointed the cause of the incidents, Vance plans to “temporarily apply local procedures to mitigate risk to flight operations and aircrew,” the base said in a statement.
Vance suspended its T-6A flights Nov. 15 after instructor and student pilots reported four physiological incidents since Nov. 1 (Defense Daily, Nov. 27).
Physiological episodes that have afflicted trainers as well as fighter and attack aircraft will be the focus of a Dec. 13 hearing before the House Armed Services Committee’s tactical air and land forces panel. A NASA representative is expected to discuss the agency’s congressionally mandated review of the problem. Representatives of the Air Force and Navy are also scheduled to testify.