EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Fifty years and an old runway ago, a T-38 Talon flew over Edwards, marking the beginning of its career.

From then on, the aircraft continued to add to its list of accomplishments, and on April 10, Team Edwards celebrated the T-38's first flight and its historical achievements.

The T-38 is a twin-engine, high-altitude, supersonic jet trainer used in a variety of roles because of its design, economy of operations, ease of maintenance, high performance, and exceptional safety record. The T-38 has swept wings, a "soda-bottle" shaped fuselage and tricycle landing gear with a steerable nose wheel. Two independent hydraulic systems power the ailerons, rudder and other flight control surfaces. 

"It is a cheap, cost-effective supersonic trainer for the Air Force," said Tech. Sgt. Anthony Accurso, Air Force Flight Test Center Museum. "It has been a major piece of history. Most of our service's pilots have flown that airplane over the past 50 years."

Five decades after first streaking across the Mojave Desert, the sleek jet is still a common sight in the skies over Edwards.

"The Talon is the workhorse of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School curriculum," said Jay Dunham, the school's T-38 chief pilot. "Approximately 50 percent of our curriculum sorties are flown in the T-38. The combination of speed, maneuverability and classic flying qualities make it an effective platform for developing the core competencies required of our graduates."

Recently, Maj. Brian Deas, Test Pilot School student, piloted the aircraft during a performance data collection sortie.

"After flying the T-38, it was clear why it had been around for so long," Major Deas said. "The aircraft is perfectly designed for its mission. It is easy to operate through a wide range of performance capabilities."

Air Force Flight Test Center Talons are often flown by the 445th Flight Test Squadron to support developmental tests for Air Education and Training Command, the primary user of the T-38. Unofficially nicknamed the "White Rocket," the quick-climbing T-38 is also called upon to accomplish a wide variety of photo and safety chase missions flown at Edwards.