Tweet Complete: T-37 Retires after 40 Years of Service  

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The final T-37 Tweet student training sortie landed March 31 at Columbus AFB, MS.

The T-37, which trained more than 10,000 USAF aviators, is being replaced by the T-6 Texan II.

Columbus AFB was the last Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training base flying the T-37, but the Tweet will continue to be used at Sheppard AFB, TX, in the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program. Vance AFB, OK and Laughlin AFB, TX phased out the T-37 from their pilot training programs in 2007.

The first T-37 arrived at Columbus AFB in 1969 in preparation for the base's realignment from Strategic Air Command to Air Training Command in 1970. In 1970, Columbus AFB officials undertook the undergraduate pilot training mission, using the T-37 for its primary training and the T-38 Talon for advanced training.

T-37 (68-8068) arrived at Columbus AFB from the Cessna factory in Wichita, Kansas, Sept. 25, 1969, with a grand total of 9.1 flight hours to its credit. Maj. Robert McGrath, an instructor pilot, and Capt. Jay Labrum, a student pilot, flew the aircraft's 10,351st sortie. The trainer jet ended its service to Columbus AFB with 16,637.6 flying hours.

Labrum was the last Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training student to utter the time honored words of "Tweet complete," signifying his completion of Phase II of the Air Force Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training program.

A retirement ceremony culminated with a four-ship T-37 flyover by members of the 37th Flying Training Squadron.