Flying a small plane to practice bomber skills, a US B-1B pilot switched to a HondaJet and saved more than $2.6 million by flying for one hour

The US military's B-1 bomber can fly at supersonic speeds and is an important strategic strike force. (Reuters file photo)

[Reporter Tu Jumin/Taipei Report] Pilots flying supersonic strategic bombers have switched to small business jets to practice their flying skills. According to foreign military news websites, the U.S. Air Force recently launched the "Bomber Crew Readiness Supplementary Training" (BSTAR) program, allowing B-1B "Lancer" bomber pilots to fly HondaJet business jets provided by private companies to maintain basic flying skills. Since the B-1B costs about US$90,000 per hour of flight, the HondaJet only costs US$2,000 to US$3,000. The difference between the two is more than 20 times. When converted into New Taiwan dollars, it can save more than 2.6 million yuan per hour, which will also help reduce the flight hours burden of old bombers.

Foreign military news website "The War Zone" (TWZ) reported that the program launched its first military training flight in Abilene, Texas, on November 2, with B-1B pilots from Dyes Air Force Base operating the HondaJet. The U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command officially launched the program on the 4th. In the future, qualified B-1B pilots will be able to add approximately 100 additional flying hours per year to strengthen basic skills such as instrument flying, mission planning, aircraft control, and crew resource management.

HondaJet became the training aircraft for training B-1 bombers. (Bloomberg file photo)

It is worth noting that the HondaJet is not a military training aircraft, but a twin-engine light business jet developed by the Japanese Honda Group's aircraft company. Its maximum cruising speed is about 422 knots. It is completely different from the B-1B bomber with supersonic flight capabilities in terms of size, performance and mission purposes. However, the U.S. military believes that pilots maintain basic flight capabilities and do not need to use expensive bombers every time. Instead, they can reserve B-1B flight hours for professional training such as aerial refueling, tactical use, and weapons delivery.

The report stated that the project adopts a "contractor-owned, contractor-operated" model, with XSTAR Aviation providing aircraft, flight instructors and maintenance support. The company received a training services contract of up to $78 million in March this year and is expected to expand to Rapid City, South Dakota, in January next year to support B-1B aircrews at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

The U.S. Air Force has used T-38 trainer aircraft in the past to help B-2 stealth bomber pilots maintain their flying skills, so it is not the first time that other aircraft types are used for auxiliary training. However, switching to private business jets and outsourcing training can further reduce fleet maintenance costs.

This measure also reflects the aging pressure of the B-1B fleet. The US military currently has only 44 B-1B bombers left, and plans to invest US$342 million in upgrades to maintain combat capabilities until 2037. However, some retired B-1B pilots questioned that the HondaJet's control characteristics and avionics equipment are too different, and it is of limited help in training bombers for specific missions. How to balance cost savings with actual combat readiness effectiveness remains to be verified later.