The US Air Force Academy has purchased new training aircraft to replace those it has leased for more than a decade.  USAFA has not purchased a training fleet since the ill-fated T-3A Firefly killed 3 cadets and 3 officers from 1995 to 1997.

The Cirrus T-53A is a single engine propeller driven aircraft and will be used in USAFA’s flight training program.  The T-53 acquisition will run $6.1M for the fleet of 25.  The local article also notes the aircraft is equipped with a whole-aircraft parachute.

The aircraft will be evaluated by test pilots from Edwards Air Force base before its use as a cadet trainer.