Best Naval or Marine Corp Air Bases?

[MIDNJAC]

I miss the flying out there. Go VFR straights or you could hit up the mountains and tool around them for awhile. Beautiful scenery and if the weather sucked, you go go to Eastern Washington and it'd be clear there, or head south to Eugene.

What was the deal with going to Eugene anyway? Just a perfect distance for a real party of an airnav or what? I remember regularly seeing Prowlers and P-3's doing low approaches to old Mahlon Sweet growing up. Always wondered....

As for bases, Miramar was the best duty station I have had, though Oceana isn't bad either. Others, Key West and even Fallon isn't too bad for the det lifestyle. I'd love to do Whidbey, but that probably isn't in the cards for a VFA dude, at least nowadays.

 

[IRfly]

CONUS: NASNI
OCONUS: K-Bay or NSA Souda Bay

 

[zipmartin]

It all depends on what you are comparing. If it's social life, used to be Miramar on Wednesday nights, and Oceana on Friday nights. The light attack CO's at Cecil back in the 70's all agreed on 4 day work weeks, so we always had three day weekends. For the flying aspect, it boiled down to permanent duty, or DETs. Most of the bases when I was flying had good working relationships with the local ATC guys, and we could do things you'd get crucified for if you were civilian. Cecil was easy to work out of. NAS New Orleans was easy. The ATC guys would let you do the city sight seeing tour at 3K'. Rosey Roads was great for the sight seeing around the islands after a mission. But by far the best place to work was Fallon. The flying was great, and the ranges were close. In the A-4 we could fight down to 1200 lbs. of gas and bingo over the hill to be on deck with 800 lbs. And do it three times a day! Flying heaven.

 

[The Chief]

Can you spell Cubi Point?

 

[xj220]

What was the deal with going to Eugene anyway? Just a perfect distance for a real party of an airnav or what? I remember regularly seeing Prowlers and P-3's doing low approaches to old Mahlon Sweet growing up. Always wondered....

It's a good sized runway for training and they were always very accomodating. Also, it takes some time to get down there so when you have a 5 hr bounce flight it kills time. We'd go even further south to Klamath Falls sometimes.

 

[BusyBee604]

We'd go even further south to Klamath Falls sometimes.

Was that at Kingsley Field? Pretty horrendous "bird strike" territory in the vicinity of Klamath wildlife area!

BzB

 

[xj220]

Not sure, I only went there once. I just remember a 7 degree glide slope on the VOR coming over the mountains. Pretty sport approach.

 

[armada1651]

I'd love to do Whidbey, but that probably isn't in the cards for a VFA dude, at least nowadays.

I don't think that's true. I know of fighter guys in my airwing who have been interested in that and the word from our Growler friends is that they still want VFA types at 129 for the foreseeable future. It's at least worth talking to your airwing's VAQ guys, I think.

 

[ea6bflyr]

I don't think that's true. I know of fighter guys in my airwing who have been interested in that and the word from our Growler friends is that they still want VFA types at 129 for the foreseeable future. It's at least worth talking to your airwing's VAQ guys, I think.

True, one of my NROTC students was at VFA-211 and was "selected" to be a Growler FRS instructor. He's at VAQ-129 now.

 

[scotty008]

I've got to include Pendleton on this one... As great as the centralized San Diego locale is, something about North County SD does it for me. That said, when (until recently) New River, NC is your only other option its tough to think otherwise...

 

[Alto53]

MCAS Tustin in Orange County. Just far enough south of the LA mess to not be sucked into it, but close enough to venture out. El Toro was just across town to provide options, but the F/W bro's had their own home base and we had Ours, so no need to mix up the pattern work. Pendleton and 'the Stumps' were close enough, and far enough, to make a good day of working Frags, for the brethren on the ground, but didn't require RONing (unless a major exercise). NAS Sigonella, Sicily (53s and C-26 (Metroliner)). The rules and regs got a little less stringent the farther south you went from mainland Europe, and the Sicilians are wonderful. The opportunity to see, experience and fly around the Med in R/W and F/W was awesome. NASNI because, well it's San Diego. Yuma for Det work, and the beer was always cold.

 

[HuggyU2]

Loved Cecil for the history and the jets - Pax was great from an area standpoint. Forty minute drive north to downtown DC and all the things to see there rocked.

40 minutes??

 

[707guy]

40 minutes??

Ok maybe not now but when I was there NAVAIR had yet to move to Pax and most of Southern MD was still farmland!