Advanced jet training at Kingsville consisted of both simulator and aircraft flights. Our class became a test case for flight simulators for the familiarization phase of the training program, landings and acrobatics. I was part of the control group that proceeded as usual through the training program and three of the class were in the computer simulators (visual) for the same flights. After about 7 simulator flights, the test group received three flights in the aircraft and then had a check flight. The initial reaction to the simulators for this visual phase of flying was not too good, the students had trouble judging distances in the simulator and when transferring to the real aircraft they weren't able to make the adjustments in the landing pattern very well.

Advance Jet Training Flights:

• Basic Instruments
• Advanced / Radio Instruments
• Familarization
• Formation
• Bombing
• Low Level Navigation
• Air Combat Manouvering (ACM)
• Carrier Landings

Flying in a loose 4 plane formation. Taken from the number 4 position, this picture shows the type of formation used for traveling to or from target areas where close precision isn't required. This allows the flight crews to check on the operation of aircraft systems without placing anyone in the flight in any danger. Once cockpit systems are verified, the formation is closed up some, but to allow for quicker turns, additional space is maintained between aircraft.

These aircraft, all TA4Js, are all from the VT-22 training squadron, one of the two advanced jet squadrons then assigned to NAS Kingsville, Texas. This picture is typical of the weather around South Texas, hazy sunshine, with scattered clouds. Most flights were conducted at an altitude of 18-24,000 feet.

All squadron aircraft carried the two external fuel tanks seen here. With these tanks mounted on the aircraft, the TA4's could fly for about 2 hours and 45 minutes or nearly 1200 miles.

Known as the "Lex", the U.S.S Lexington served as the training carrier during the years that I was in the Navy. The six carrier landing I made at the end of my training at VT-22 were aboard the Lexington. The goal of each student was to "catch" all "3-wires". The "3-wire", out of 4 wires is the target for all landings. My 6 landings included: 2-"1-wires", 2-"2-wires", 1-"3-wire" and 1-"4-wire". Additionally I had two "touch-and-go"s (hook up so an arrested landing is not possible) and one "bolter" (hook down, but missed or skipped over the arresting wires).

Each wire is a steel cable pulled across the angled flight deck. Placed about 15 feet apart, the 4 wires defined a landing area of 45 feet. Usging an airspeed relative to the ship of about 100 knots, the A4 covered the 45 foot distance in about a quarter of a second. Needless to say, Navy landings are very precise.