Any Military IPs?

[Vector4fun]

I don't know how to word this so it doesn't sound like flame bait. It's not meant that way, but...

Guys, does it ever occur to you that Fri eves are not the best time to arrive 6-8 in a group at a somewhat busy Air Carrier/corporate airport and ask for multiple approaches, circle to opposite direction, re-enter an initial, then stay in the pattern with Tower?

I certainly don't mind the single ILS/GPS to a full stop. I wouldn't even mind a few approaches for a SINGLE T-37 or T-38. What gets me is four T-37s, Two T-38s, and a BE-40 somehow all seem to show up within 15 minutes. I assume you're all trying to share a single limo to the hotel for the evening, but SHEEESH!

It's just a long-standing "gripe" I guess. Can't ya go pick on another UPT base?

 

[Russ]

KAUS?

Cant you simply deny the approaches due to traffic load?

 

[ScudB]

No flaming spears

Vector4Fun,
I'm not a tweet IP anymore, but I'll attempt to explain why those things happen.
In the old days (prior to that president who preceeded "W"), most military airports stayed open 24/7. With budget cuts/reductions in force, most military airports have severely cut back operating hours. Some close early on Fridays and don't reopen until Monday. As a result, it's forced the training jets to flock to open civilian fields for cross country training. Some of the UPT fields close on Friday as soon as they launch their cross country jets, so going to another UPT base may not be an option.
Believe me, I wish there were better options.
I've been extended out to 20 mile visual final in a Bone because of a tweet on an ILS.
Cheers
Scud

 

[Kikuchiyo]

No flames, just info.

To piggy-back on ScudB's response, Training command (AETC) doesn't want the jets out during the week. They can't afford to have just one crew monopolizing a jet for 3 days during the week. So for overnight, cross country training, they wait until the weekend to let everyone go. And they wait until the last minute on the weekend, making everyone leave at the same time once all the regular training is over. And given the limited range of the Tweet, there's only so many places they can go to to get training.

 

[Vector4fun]

Thanks guys, I feel a bit better now that I understand the problem a bit. Yes, we can always deny the approaches, but we try to accomodate what we can. It's always been the problem of a half dozen showing up at almost the same time.

I honestly didn't know your UPT towers were closing like that. I'll pass the word.

 

[Toro]

Guys, does it ever occur to you that Fri eves are not the best time to arrive 6-8 in a group at a somewhat busy Air Carrier/corporate airport and ask for multiple approaches, circle to opposite direction, re-enter an initial, then stay in the pattern with Tower?

Sounds like they've got their priorities backwards...Friday night on a cross country, they need to be landing those jets and making their way to the bars
In all seriousness, 3-4 jets to the same place was fairly common just because getting PPRs and lodging was easier when you did it in a group, but 6-9 (which generally meant the whole class) was a logisitcal nightmare in terms of keeping track of everybody. Besides, you'd rarely have that many people who wanted to go to the same place.

 

[AlbieF15]

American trainers may make quite a bit of noise when they show up, and create some controller headaches...

But they are a lot quieter than Migs or Mirages.

 

[CCDiscoB]

Vector4fun,

We tried the real airports like ATL or DFW but they won't have us, so we go to your tiny backwater airport (apologies to MEM where Columbus AFB’s Tweets fly into).

Can't ya go pick on another UPT base?

Are you kidding, the T-37 was lucky if it could make it out of the state. Besides, us AF pilots need real world training too.

Toro, believe me, we hated flying Friday nights, but since we had to return in a recovery window on Sunday, so the SOF could go to church ,we could not night fly on Saturday. At least not legally.

 

[Vandal]

Just be happy you don't work Midland approach/Houston Center/Abilene Approach...deal with us Laughlin T-1's every day of the week. 5-6 at a time.

 

[Spur]

we could not night fly on Saturday. At least not legally.

Well the new syllabus (primary) has 2 student night sorties, so unless you are lucky and get a day/night out and back its friday and saturday night legs. Of course everyone launches at sunset (never earlier of course ) and ends up arriving at the RON location (civil fields must be on the AETC approved RON list -- just another filter to limit the choices) at the same time....