When we flew in the training command at the time, we operated off of both sides of the runway. Normally a runway has to be “clear” to land however we had a waiver that allowed us to operate with 3,000 foot spacing between landing aircraft – on opposite sides of the runway. It worked well.
One day Capt. C. was in position for takeoff, on the left side of Runway 14R at Randolph AFB, TX. As his student was checking the engine instruments prior to brake release Capt. C. noticed a ‘flash’ off the right side of his aircraft. Then he saw another Tweet (T-37) roll by and for a split second, he was eyeball-to-eyeball with him! The rolling Tweet continued a touch and go while Capt. C. retarded his throttles to Idle to regain his composure for a moment before taking off himself.
During that time he (then) noticed a couple of flares that had been short off from the RSU and only then, heard the RSU Controller screaming over the radio! It happens. Sometimes we become so ‘focused’ in what we are doing that we lose sight of everything else around us. Neither Capt. C, nor his student or ‘Buzz,’ the solo student pilot in the other aircraft, heard the calls of the RSU Controller, or saw the flares!
When he got back to the flight room, Capt. C. was still HOT! It cost Buzz about 100 “Boners” that day (about $25.00).