The Fini-flight that was cancelled…well modified!

Author: Deke

My Fini-flight at Randolph was 21 April 1995. My time at Randolph was one of my best assignments and as I was looking forward to my Fini-flight I was being told by AFPC this would be my last flying assignment. The early 90s were crazy in the Air Force. We experienced a large draw-down after the first Gulf War. My A-10 community was shrinking, the RF-4 and F-111 community was gone, and F-4 Weasel community was shutting down and AETC offered a flying opportunity if you moved quickly. As a result, Randolph was well manned with experienced FAIPs who’d gone operational and then to Randolph as a PIT instructor. We also had several Super FAIP’s, FAIPs who extended and moved to Randolph as a PIT IP. During this tour we watched the career trainer path disappear, the 560th at 1 time had only 2 PIT students for 6 months or more, the super FAIPs were being denied fighters and flying assignments were sparse, the Greybeard program was started, the USAF was paying pilots to stay in while paying anybody to separate early and promotion boards were being delayed as the reduction in force was progressing slowly. The AFPC crystal ball said that after having three flying assignments in my career I’d be finished. With that in mind I was planning a large party for my Fini-flight, the third week in April, 1995. On 17 April 95, Gen Glenn Profitt II was killed in a C-21 outside Maxwell AFB enroute to Randolph AFB. At the time he was the Director of Plans and Operations for AETC and he was returning after some time at the Pentagon. As a result of his crash, all flying at Randolph was cancelled the following Friday to support his memorial. That included my planned Fini-flight. The next day, while packing boxes, the 560th Ops O called and asked if I’d be willing to make a 4-ship flyby, executing a missing man, on Friday my Fini-flight. I quickly agreed and asked if I could be number 3. I asked to be 3 as I had flown a number of these formations from all positions except 3 and I wanted the honor of accomplishing the missing man pull. We took off as a 4-ship, 10 second string, after a turn out to the east, we rejoined and proceeded to the North for a 1 turn in holding and then proceeded down Pat Booker Rd to Randolph at low-level and 350kts to a missing man pull up in full afterburner as we approached the Taj. We then rejoined the 4-ship, hit the east MOA, divided the airspace and broke into 2-ships for extended trail and tactical. We recovered through Seguin for a wing touch and go and then Randolph where I led a formation full stop. So, my last 2 landings were a formation wing landing to a touch and go, and leading a formation landing, 3 things they no longer do. That night, Mrs. Profitt descended the stairs into the Auger Inn, rang the bell and bought everyone a round in honor of her husband. Thankfully the AFPC crystal ball was wrong. Three years later I was climbing into black T-38s at Holloman AFB and preparing to fly the F-117A Nighthawk.