AIRSTA Selection...

[parrothead08]

For the Coasties...I'm projected to wing mid-October out of HT-28. Putting my e-Resume together and looking for gouge on the airstas...

1) Which stations tend to fly the most? I know I can look this up, but it's difficult to get access to a WSIII in Milton.

2) I'm married, does this give me any advantage with the detailer? Tips on what I can put in the e-Resume? She has a four-year degree in event management. So we're hoping to go to a major city.

3) For the 65 drivers, is HITRON or AC a lock for your second tour?

4) Any other factors I should consider?

Thanks in advance for the info. I can't wait to get back to the CG.

 

[Brunes]

Short answers: More airframes= more hours. Special missions also bump up flight time. Busiest SAR rotary wing airsta= NOLA.
Everyone has something that makes them "special" -Married, family, lots of ferrets. Even dual active couples only get colos if possible. Special needs is the only program I know that can effect assignment.
HITRON or AC-Yes, more or less.
I'm on my iPhone so sorry for spelling issues and short answers. Good lick and send a PM if you have any other questions.

 

[Gatordev]

Busiest SAR rotary wing airsta= NOLA.

It's funny how every major AirSta says the same thing. I've heard that from the guys at Opa Locka and from the guys at PIE. Someone must be right.

 

[SamAca10]

So going to HITRON or AC is a bad thing?

 

[Brunes]

It's funny how every major AirSta says the same thing. I've heard that from the guys at Opa Locka and from the guys at PIE. Someone must be right.

I don't have them here-but we flew the most hours of SAR last FY. 800ish. Number of cases is irrelevant because of standup/standdown cases.

 

[Brunes]

So going to HITRON or AC is a bad thing?

Not bad thing-Just not what everyone wants. I'm likely to get qual'd an AC in Jul and then 6-8 months become an RWAI AC and then go TAD to DC once or twice a year...Not ideal for me.

 

[CoastieFlyer]

It's funny how every major AirSta says the same thing. I've heard that from the guys at Opa Locka and from the guys at PIE. Someone must be right.

Miami boasts to be the 'busiest air/sea rescue unit in the world' which in a sense they are but only after you add the law enforcement sorties from migrant ops to the search and rescue load. If you look at just SAR alone, NOLA has traditionally been the front runner.

 

[Gatordev]

Miami boasts to be the 'busiest air/sea rescue unit in the world' which in a sense they are but only after you add the law enforcement sorties from migrant ops to the search and rescue load. If you look at just SAR alone, NOLA has traditionally been the front runner.

Don't interpret my post as saying that some stations are no-loads and aren't doing their fair share. I just find it amusing how several very "busy" (whatever that means to you) AirStas boast similar "facts."

All that said, I do believe the word I heard at OPF was "busiest," which is different than what Brunes said. Maybe PIE just used the word "biggest." I hear chicks dig that.

 

[parrothead08]

Thanks for the input. I've asked around NDZ...just trying to make the most informed decision.

 

[parrothead08]

So going to HITRON or AC is a bad thing?

I haven't heard a lot of positive info on AC. I've wanted to do HITRON after spending 2 years on a 270'. Seems like a fun deal.

Unless I get 60s in San Diego by some miracle...haha.

 

[HercDriver]

Don't interpret my post as saying that some stations are no-loads and aren't doing their fair share. I just find it amusing how several very "busy" (whatever that means to you) AirStas boast similar "facts."

All that said, I do believe the word I heard at OPF was "busiest," which is different than what Brunes said. Maybe PIE just used the word "biggest." I hear chicks dig that.

Yeah, it is all a numbers crunch game. It has been 3 years since I was at PIE, but we had tons of hours between migrant interdiction/SAR on the C-130 side, as well as lots of migrant/SAR/OPBAT LE hours on the rotary wing side (with 10 helos at the time). But because both assets at Miami had shorter legs, each case may equal more sorties, which would equal "busiest air/sea rescue unit in the world" (based on sorties, not hours).

And KPIE isthe biggest Air Station, IIRC, based on personnel (450).

 

[Brunes]

And KPIE isthe biggest Air Station, IIRC, based on personnel (450).

This is what I figured would be the explanation. I know the Clearwater is HUGE.....
And you are right about the numbers game....Statistics don't lie-People do.

 

[Gatordev]

And KPIE isthe biggest Air Station, IIRC, based on personnel (450).

I always liked PIE. I grew up there and once in college/ROTC, I would go to the AirSta from time to time for AAFES (or whatever you call it) privileges. I've also flown into the AirSta once or twice and was treated well.

I know I've told this story before, but it was a while ago, so here it goes... For my AIRNAV solo in the HTs, I worked a deal where my buddy and I flew down to PIE in two legs and spent the night. Then we flew back up the next day. A pretty good deal, made possible, in part, by the AirSta letting us use their ramp space. As expected, the place where they put us was needed the next morning for their morning patrol helo, so we had to put the wheels on the -57 and wheel it ALL THE WAY through the big ass hangars on the helo side. As we were about half-way through the hangar, with about 3 of us pushing the thing, a Chief came tearing out of one of the offices in maintenance and started yelling, "I told you guys to STOP playing with your toys in the hangar!" I think he proceeded to laugh at us as we continued to push our toy to the inside ramp (by the exchange parking lot).

I think it was about this time that they told us they needed us to move because they had to launch another helo.