Colombian Air Force completes Tucano modernisation
The Colombian Air Force (FAC) has received back into the service the last of 14 Embraer EMB-312 (AT-27M in national service) Tucano turboprop trainer and light-attack aircraft.
Colombia has 14 AT-27M Tucanos which have now all been through a modernisation programme. (Roberto José García Hernández)
The Colombian Aeronautic Industry Corporation (CIAC) delivered the final aircraft on 30 June, following a six-year upgrade effort across the fleet.
Designed to extend the type’s lifespan by 15 years, the retrofit programme involved the installation of new and strengthened wings and landing gear. A new avionics suite provided by Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace) and a ‘glass’ cockpit from Cobham replaced the old analogue cockpit with modern systems and two large multifunction electronic displays.
Besides the new equipment, the CIAC also performed a complete overhaul to the airframes to deliver the aircraft in a zero-hours condition. These works included structural inspection of the aircraft using non-destructive inspection techniques, manufacture, and replacement of certain structural components, an overhaul of the hydraulic power units, painting, and corrosion control.
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