Zabel T6 Trainer

Restored for its current owner, Justin Zabel, owner of Mercer-Fraser Co.  This aircraft, called the Humboldt Honey, placed first in class at the 2020 Reno air races.  This single-engine, two-seat primary trainer was designed to train students in basic flying skills common to U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots.

Produced by Raytheon Aircraft, it features stepped-tandem seating in the single cockpit places one crewmember in front of the other, with the student and instructor positions being interchangeable. The plane can be piloted alone from the front seat, with a one-piece canopy that has demonstrated resistance to bird strikes at speeds up to 270 knots.

Powered by Pratt & Whitney turbo-prop engine that delivers 1,100 horsepower, its excellent thrust-to-weight ratio allows the aircraft to perform an initial climb of 3,100 feet per minute, reaching 18,000 feet in less than six minutes.

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