Happy Birthday To The Beechcraft T-34 Mentor

Moreno Aguiari Published December 2, 2014

T-34 mentor_indy_2012_002 — Here is a photo of a four-ship T-34 element at the 2012 Indianapolis Air Show.

Sixty-six years ago today, the Beechcraft T-34 Mentor took flight for the first time. A two-seat pilot trainer, the T-34 developed from the Beechcraft 35 Bonanza and was the west’s most successful postwar basic trainer. Fully aerobatic, the Mentor was strengthened to withstand +6g and -3g. The Air Force adopted the T-34A in 1953 as its first postwar primary trainer and the Navy followed in 1955 with the T-34B variant. Mentors were also built under license in Argentina, Canada and Japan. The Mentor is used by the Lima Lima Flight Team and aerobatic pilot Julie Clark on the air show circuit.

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By Moreno Aguiari

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Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.