<hi style=afpcap>After a gap of a few years the Air Force decided to reintroduce a piston engined primary trainer as a means of screening potential pilots prior to them progressing onto the T-37. The Cessna model 172 was chosen to meet this requirement with an order being placed in 1964 for 170 T-41A Mescaleros. These were initially allocated to eight civilian contracted flight schools, each one located close to one of the Air Training Command Undergraduate Pilot Training bases. The aircraft were allocated military identities, but were required to also display civilian registrations. 52 T-41Cs were obtained for the Air Force Academy in 1968 and 1969, these being similar to the Cessna R172E. The system was later changed whereby all the T-41As were concentrated at Hondo Municipal Airport, Texas to perform flight screening. </hi>
