Air Force eyeing new trainer aircraft after T-34 crash

Taipei, June 3 (CNA) Taiwan's Air Force said Wednesday that its fleet of T-34 trainer aircraft has not yet reached retirement age, but that it is "proactively" seeking replacements.

The statement came one day after a T-34C crashed at Gangshan Air Base during a simulated engine-failure exercise, killing Air Force Lt. Col. Lu Chi-yu (盧季佑) and Lt. Col. Kuo Chun-nan (過俊男).

● Air Force says no malfunction reported before crash, grounds T-34C trainers

The incident sparked discussion over whether the age of the T-34 fleet could have contributed to the accident, as production of the model ended in 1990.

In a statement, the Air Force said contractor Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation has conducted regular maintenance on the aircraft in accordance with its contract and ensured they remain in normal operating condition.

Replacement parts and components for the aircraft remain available and in sufficient supply, it said.

However, the Air Force said it has set a preliminary retirement timeline for the fleet based on accumulated flight hours and is gathering information from domestic and foreign companies in preparation for procuring a new trainer model.

The Air Force added that it has already included flight recorders and ejection seats in its procurement plans.