Kingsville or Meridian?

[wstcoaster07]

I have to decide what location to request when I request tailhook. Any advice?

I am looking for a good training environment with good weather (lower humidity is best). Some place with nice housing (buy a place) semi near base

Thanks

 

[Gatordev]

I don't think any of that exists when selecting tailhook. Only some of it exists when selecting helos.

 

[FLYTPAY]

I have to decide what location to request when I request tailhook. Any advice?

I am looking for a good training environment with good weather (lower humidity is best). Some place with nice housing (buy a place) semi near base

Thanks

Jets suck, you don't wanna fly them.....why not try to be the first P-8 CAT 1 pilot?

 

[wstcoaster07]

Found another thread from a while back, sry for the repost haha. Any new advice is still obviously welcome and appreciated.

 

[nugget81]

I'm sure others mentioned this in the other thread, but it's not really your choice - the Navy is going to send you wherever they choose. I know several people that wanted Kingsville and got Meridian, and vice versa. On the other hand, I requested Kingsville and got it....

 

[MasterBates]

Kingsville:
Pros:
Everything in town is less than 10 min from base.
1 hour to Corpus, 2.5 to SAT, 3 to ATX, 4 to HOU, 2 to South Padre
Both bars have cheap beer.

Cons:
Not much here. Chilis is our high class dining. 1 wing joint, couple hole in the wall mexican joints. Thats it.
Oh, we have a Wal-Mart
Commissary and Exchange are a joke. Try finding non-rotten fruit at the commissary some days. It's hit or miss. I recommend Wednesday.
All the women over 21 have kids. Most of the ones under 21 have kids. They are large too!

 

[SemperGumbi]

Meridian doesn't even have a Chilis....

But they do have several bars in trailers, so theres that. You think I'm kidding, but I'm not.

 

[CodWife]

Kingsville....if you go E2/C2 you won't have to move across half the US to finish a short t-44 syllabus.

 

[FLY_USMC]

Meridian, you're guaranteed to fly Charlies and the Charlie has quite a bit in common with the F/A-18C in regards to avionics and why not set yourself up for success. There is actually a "doing average amongst the Alpha guys but way behind the Charlie guys curve" statement that instructors throw around here that you might ought think about. Go to K-Rock if you want to be up to speed for the Prowler or E2/C2.

 

[SemperGumbi]

Meridian, you're guaranteed to fly Charlies and the Charlie has quite a bit in common with the F/A-18C in regards to avionics and why not set yourself up for success. There is actually a "doing average amongst the Alpha guys but way behind the Charlie guys curve" statement that instructors throw around here that you might ought think about. Go to K-Rock if you want to be up to speed for the Prowler or E2/C2.

Sans HUD, our NAV suite is fairly comparable (although much, much better) to the Chuck.

So there.

Although the curve thing you speak of is pretty funny, especially after hearing all the K-Rockers talk about how awesome flying the A was instead of us "poor" charlie guys. "We'll be so far ahead in the RAG because we learned to fly steam gauges....."

Yeah you will.

 

[Single Seat]

Who cares? You aren't staying either place. I would advise against buying property in Meridian.

 

[caeli]

As far as the Charlie setting you up nicely for the F-18 RAG ... I wouldn't know since I just started in Kingsville a couple months ago. But I do know that when I selected not too long ago out of Corpus, there was no T1 or T2, just Tailhook. And then when I got to Kingsville, once again I had no choice b/w the Alpha and Charlie. (I got Alpha's ... no complaints here)

So I wouldn't worry too much about choosing location, because chances are the choice isn't yours anyways.

 

[MasterBates]

Anyone who is taller, take the -C if you get the chance.

There is about 1-2" more legroom in the C, and the layout is more "big man" friendly.

 

[A4sForever]

For Jet Jocks ... here's the choices in order of preference:

1. Pensacola

2. Beeville

3. Kingsville

4. Meridian

If any of the above are not available due to the political vagaries of the day and/or downsizing of the moment ... go with what's left. I.E., : I'm talkin' life style, amenities, restaurants, bars, off-duty activities, Bar-B-Q's and generally what you wanted when you moved out of Mommy & Daddy's house and started off on your own.

I've done "time" in all ... and your airplane (your respective T-45 mod :icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol doesn't matter -- you will be trained further on down the line for your Fleet bird and a GOOD Aviator can fly anything ... plus, you will ALWAYS be in "training" for your current or a future bird ... plus, you can train a properly motivated chimp to fly.

Believe it.

 

[midhusker]

A's or C's does not matter. I did A's in Kingsville and I didn't have any problem getting used to the Rhino HUD. I think the lack of a HUD or velocity vector helps you understand flying and how the jet performs a little better. It also forces you to bring your eyes inside and look down instead of having everything in front of you. Once I got to the RAG, looking inside at the Radar Attack page was second nature --just my 2 cents, not trying to pick a fight here. Now that I have HUD and VV, I use them all the time, but I am glad I didn't have them in Kingsville. Now we have the Helmet and that is a different world all together, albeit a much better one.