FA-50 Achieves 100,000 Hours of Accident-Free Flight Record

Flight distance 55 million km... Approximately 140 times the distance from Earth to the Moon
Record achieved over about 10 years since the first flight of FA-50

South Korea's domestically produced fighter jet FA-50, operated by the Air Force, has achieved a milestone of 100,000 hours of accident-free flight.

According to the Air Force on the 6th, the FA-50 piloted by Major Kim Nam-young (36) and Captain Park Sang-won (27) of the 8th Fighter Wing safely landed on the runway of Wonju base at 4:15 p.m. the previous day after completing its mission, setting the record for 100,000 hours of accident-free flight.

This record was established jointly by the 103rd Fighter Squadron and the 203rd Fighter Squadron under the 8th Fighter Wing, and the 202nd Fighter Squadron under the 16th Fighter Wing, all operating the FA-50. The 103rd Fighter Squadron first flew the FA-50 on September 16, 2013, and this record was achieved over approximately 10 years. The total flight distance so far is 55 million kilometers, which is about 140 times the distance from the Earth to the Moon.

The FA-50 was developed as an attack aircraft by adding tactical capabilities to the domestically produced supersonic trainer T-50 platform in the early 2000s, with development completed in January 2013. Currently, the Air Force operates about 60 FA-50s.

The T-50 series aircraft, including the FA-50, are a flagship product of 'K-Defense' exports. The Philippines has been operating 12 FA-50s since 2015, and Poland introduced FA-50GF units 1 and 2 last August and plans to receive a total of 48 aircraft by 2028. Malaysia is also scheduled to introduce 18 FA-50s starting in 2026 based on an export contract signed last May. Additionally, Indonesia (22 units), Thailand (14 units), and Iraq (24 units) are operating T-50 series aircraft. The total number of T-50 series aircraft delivered or scheduled for delivery overseas reaches over 140 units across six countries.

The Air Force explained, "This achievement was possible thanks to the excellent capabilities of pilots trained through the Korean-style flight training system," and added, "The tireless efforts of maintenance personnel for flight safety also played a significant role in achieving this record." Major Kim Nam-young, the fighter pilot aboard the FA-50 that achieved the record, expressed his joy, saying, "The 100,000 hours of accident-free flight record reflects the sweat and dedication of FA-50 pilots and maintenance crews."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.