AAC Wamira
The RAAF, which expressed an intention to buy 69 aircraft, specified a turboprop trainer of broadly conventional tricycle undercarriage low-wing layout, to be powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-25C engine.The RAAF also specified that the type be fully aerobatic, be capable of cross-country navigation and weapons training, have a 200 knots (370 km/h) cruising speed at sea level, and a minimum service life of 20 years and 8,000 flying hours.Made from wood & alloy it utilised real aircraft components such as ejection seats, control columns, rudder pedals etc.At the time, the RAAF was replacing its front-line fighter fleet and wanted an Airborne Early Warning platform and inflight refuelling aircraft to enhance the new type's capabilities,[1] and an Auditor-General report found that the Wamira project cost was likely to be more than double that originally estimated.[1] In July 1985 it was announced that the RAAF trainer requirement was now a competition, and that the Short Tucano, Pilatus PC-7 and PC-9 (all of which had tandem seating) would be considered as well as the Wamira.