As a flight surgeon at NAMI in the early '90s, the T-39 flights were a great deal. I was "self-loading baggage" on a number of VT-86 flights. The low-level out and in hops were a way to log a month's worth of decent quality flight time in one sitting, and score a lunch in the bargain. All the pilots were contract by the time I was there, most of whom were Vietnam-era guys. There were a few Vigilante pilots, who had some great stories. One pilot, an instructor in the jump seat, and the two studs would trade out the right seat on each half of the out and in. I never suspected a T-39 could do a Split S.
R/