Winter det

[gaijin6423]

I'm in Corpus for primary right now, and there's tons of rumors floating around about a painful det to Middle-of-Nowhere for a while, due to lousy weather here. Anyone been there, done that? If so, can you shout out some details?

 

[squeeze]

When I was in primary we det'd out to Las Cruces, NM. Not sure how they work it for Fams or BIs or whatnot, cause all I did was forms and VNAVs, but it was pretty nice to fly somewhere with actual scenery...

 

[gaijin6423]

That sounds like the name I've been hearing thrown around. Good deal or no?

 

[flashypants]

You'll make more money and there's no sims... how can it be bad?

I've heard Las Cruces is a great det. to go on, you get paid ridiculous per diem, and don't have any time to spend it so you make a ton of cash. I've heard you fly like twice a day, 7 days a week, and then have a week (2?) off to just chill. So you get a lot of syllabus done, uninterrupted by weather cause it's clear, and you make lots of per diem....what's so bad about that deal?!? Sign me up!!

Although, my on-wing said it doesn't seem as if it's going to happen this year, cause productivity is up, and the ratio of instructors to students is so high right now, so we'll likely just "weather" it out and slooooooow down. This is all hearsay, of course, but just to spread some of the rumblings I've heard....

 

[rare21]

take if you get the chance but be aware that they might not tell you you're going until the night before. I remember being the AODO and calling folks up with wives and kids that they had to be on the flightline the next morning at 0600 with no time to prepare. You'll finish primary quicker thats for sure. I missed out and took way too long to finish.

 

[Pcola04/30]

The CO of VT-28 just sent out a news letter to the wives and it mentioned another det for this year but was short on details......I couldnt get this to open directly, I had to recover the text but maybe anyone that is interested will have better luck opening the newsletter. :jump2_125

 

[smittyrunr]

It was a good deal when I went two years ago... of course I sat out there on my butt for 2 weeks before getting to fly, then flew every day for two weeks once they realized I was about ready to select. The flying is good- and your SA and comms improve immensely! Weekend flying in Las Cruces means 6 T-34s, cessnas towing gliders, home-builts, ultralights, Frank Borman in his P-51, and the occasional civilian jet who doesn't know what they're getting themselves into... all in the pattern at once. Oh yeah, and not everyone wants to use the same runway.
The hotel (assuming everyone is still staying in the same place we did) has free breakfast, so your per diem definately covers you.

 

[gaijin6423]

Hmm... Sounds like Manassass, VA, but with better weather and per diem. If you go on the det, and there's no sims, how's that work? And does it work out well?

 

[bch]

I've heard Las Cruces is a great det. to go on, you get paid ridiculous per diem, and don't have any time to spend it so you make a ton of cash. I've heard you fly like twice a day, 7 days a week, and then have a week (2?) off to just chill. So you get a lot of syllabus done, uninterrupted by weather cause it's clear, and you make lots of per diem....what's so bad about that deal?!? Sign me up!!

Ok here we go again... You get paid per diem, nothing ridiculous about it. A lot of guys went skiing (lots of monet spent) and of course Boozing. I don't know about you, but I think most people can easily drink away their per diem. Also, you are having to buy your meals everyday (hence the purpose of per diem) so that takes away from your ridiculous per diem.

The guys that went out last year, sat almost as much as they did in NGP. There are no sims out there, that does not mean that you do not have to do them, just that you will do BI's and RI's at home.

Most guys did not fly 2x a day.

Might want to fact check some of your info b4 spreading rumors.

 

[flashypants]

Might want to fact check some of your info b4 spreading rumors.

Whoa whoa whoa, ease down off your high horse there, Mr. Been-there-done-that. If you read the rest of my post that you so conveniently edited out of yours, you would read "This is all hearsay, of course, but just to spread some of the rumblings I've heard...."

I realize that it may be all true, some true, or all false information...just speculation really. And soooooorrrry for the liberal use of the word "ridiculous"...I just think that, with some self-control, and the fact that you are in the middle of nowhere (isn't all of NM?), you can make out with some profit on this deal.

Might want to ease up on your fellow wannabe-pilots and come on down off your steed before you make too many enemies, pal.

 

[E5B]

I had a blast at LC NM. I flew a T-34 out there and that was a pretty long flight for 2 legs but still fun. I was out there for all my PA's ,night fams and Forms and the flying was awesome. Living out of a motel got kinda old. The food over there was outstanding, especially if you like Mex food...some of the best I've had. It got pretty damn cold there which was a nice chance from blazing Corpus.

PerDiem isn't that much, $34 a day or something, so don't think you'll be making out by going. It is, however, an outstanding time, and the flying out there is great.

As for the 2 X's a day, usually you'll have a PA check and solo the same day, which isn't too much dif from CC, after the first couple of forms we were double pumped. A lot of folks went out there once they completed BI sims, BI's you can get double pumped on but Contact you can't. My only complaint was having to wear the o2 mask for entire solos, that kinda got old. Just another reason to stay away from jets.......

 

[Farva1]

Hmm... Sounds like Manassass, VA, but with better weather and per diem. If you go on the det, and there's no sims, how's that work? And does it work out well?

Manassas VA? That's my home town. What were you doing there?

 

[gaijin6423]

Manassas was the airport where I did my IFS, after finishing TBS in Quantico. I enjoyed flying there, when I actually did get to fly (freaking weather), and I even got to talk to Arnold Palmer on the radio as he blew passed me in his Citation. But the weather in the summer is lousy for flying, and the pattern at the airport there get mighty crowded.

I just talked to STUCON from VT-27 today, and they said that the odds are against the det going this year, thanks to budget constraints and fewer students in the pipeline.