You Will Flameout at Wink, TX

Author: Bobo

UPT (Undergraduate Pilot Training) used to be 52 weeks long. I entered UPT on 24 April 1970. It's amazing - some of the minutiae I remember from pilot training. Minutiae that have served me well... like, where Wink, Texas is.

Shortly after entering the T-38 phase, we received a welcome brief from our flight commander, Capt. Ford Barrett. One of the things he told us was, "If you fail to take the throttles out of 'burner (afterburner) on takeoff, you will find yourself over Wink, Texas, going very fast as you flame out!"

Why do I remember this? Hell, who knows? But he was right. Wink, TX is 328 miles from Randolph, bearing 320 degrees. With the fuel consumption rate of the '38, in burner, that is just about right!

And for what it's worth, he did go on to tell us to allow the jet to decelerate before jumping out - to reduce the chances of injury from wind blast. Our flight commander loved us...

And that's how I found out where Wink, Texas is... and now you know! LOL