A T-6A Texan II trainer aircraft landed short of the runway June 4 at Vance AFB, Okla., and was damaged. Vance officials said in a release that the one instructor pilot and one student on board exited from the aircraft without injuries. The aircraft is assigned to Vance’s 71st Flying Training Wing. The incident is being investigated. USAF lost two Texan airframes last November in a midair collision, but none of the pilots were seriously injured. In April, the Texan II became USAF’s sole platform for specialized undergraduate pilot training with the retirement of the final T-37 in that role.
Airmen basic rarely go on to become four-star generals, but one who did retired last week after a 42 year career that saw him rise from a lowly slick-sleeve to the head of one of the Air Force’s most important major commands.