In 1964, the US Air Force decided to use the off-the-shelf Cessna 172F as a lead-in aircraft for student pilots rather than starting them out in the T-37 jet aircraft. The USAF ordered 237 T-41As from Cessna. The first USAF class of students began training on the T-41 from the civilian airport in Big Spring, Texas, in August 1965. The T-41B was the US Army version, with a Continental IO-360 engine and constant-speed propeller in place of the Continental O-300 and 7654 fixed-pitch propeller used in the 172 and the T-41A. In 1968, the US Air Force acquired 52 of the more powerful T-41Cs, which used Continental IO-360 and a fixed-pitch climb propeller, for use at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. In 1996, the aircraft were further upgraded to the T-41D, which included an upgrade in avionics and to a constant-speed propeller. Beginning in 1993, the United States Air Force replaced many of the T-41 fleet with the Slingsby T-3A Firefly for the flight screening role, and for aerobatic training, which was outside the design capabilities of the T-41. The T-3A fleet was indefinitely grounded in 1997 and scrapped in 2006 following a series of fatal accidents at the United States Air Force Academy. The Air Force now trains all prospective USAF pilots and combat systems officers through a civilian contract with DOSS Aviation known as Initial Military Flight Screening which makes use of the Diamond DA20. This program is conducted for USAF line officer accession programs, with said training taking place after these officers have been commissioned as second lieutenants. It is also conducted for USAF officers at the first lieutenant and captain level selected for flight training after an assignment as a nonaeronautically-rated officer. Four T-41s remain at the Air Force Academy for the USAFA Flying Team, as well as to support certain academic classes. A number of air forces, including Saudi Arabia and Singapore, purchased various civilian models of the Cessna 172 for use in military training, transport, and liaison roles. While similar to the T-41, these aircraft were not T-41s and were powered by the standard 172 powerplants available in the model year purchased. These included the Continental O-300 in pre-1968 aircraft and the 150 and Lycoming O-320 in later 172s.
65-5226 – T-41 on static display at Randolph Air Force Base, Universal City, Texas. It is on display in park area adjacent to Randolph Inn Visiting Officers Quarters / Distinguished Visiting Officers Quarters along with other historical ATC and AETC aircraft.
