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TDY Gouge - Hawaii

HICKAM AFB, HI - Break or stay here... you're lucky.

Billeting - We stayed in billeting in the new section which we basically one-bedroom apartments, very nice and close to everything on base.

Hotels - If you can get off-base they'll put you up at one of the Outriggers most likely. We broke for a few days, and stayed at the Outrigger Luana and Outrigger Waikiki. Outrigger Waikiki has Duke's bar and restaurant with a friendly staff and the likes. Although, if you own laptops, BRING THEM!! You have to pay for public internet access in the lobby at $0.30 a minute! Access in rooms is free. Remember, HI is a predominantly military location, so military business is very much welcomed! Restaurants all over the place, along with good bars, and good per diem. The locals on the other hand still view a lot of us CONUS individuals as people from outer space! Still a great place to break!!

Food - Free coupon books for most restaurants in Honolulu can be found in most hotel lobbies. Pacific Beach Hotel restaurant (early bird 5-6pm) has a HUGE fish tank/wall filled with sharks and Manta Rays... very cool. The Shorebird has cook your own everything, plan on dropping $20 for dinner. They give at least 10% discount (maybe it was 15%-been a while since the last time..) if you show them an employee ID from a major airline. Duke's is a good place to chill on the beach and drink. On base, there is the normal food court but try the Sea Breeze restaurant (drive towards Hickam Harbor). Four days a week there is a all you can eat buffet for $14 which is awesome and the restaurant sits right on the beach at Hickam Harbor. Moose McGillicutty's on Lewers Street (lots of military). They do 1/2 price pupus (appetizers) from 1600 to 1900 every day, but they're big enough to make a meal. Good selection of beer and reasonably priced. Ask for "Kim" upstairs...she's a sweetheart and will take of you (not like THAT, you perverts!) Web site: www.moosewaikiki.com. The Wave down on Kalakaua Avenue has more people - a younger and more diverse crowd. Both dance clubs had a cover on the weekends.

Misc - Outdoor Rec has the best rates on equipment rentals. Swimming and sunbathing - Waikiki or drive to the North Shore. Bellows Air Force station is a good bet; the water is clear, the sand is white, and the scenery is literally out of Lost and Jurassic Park (they were filmed nearby). A one-day rental four-seat Jeep Wrangler ran $72 from Dollar, booked through our hotel. Nothing beats driving along the North Shore with an open-top car. Surfing - North shore or Sunset Beach! Boogie Boarding - Kaneohe Marine Base. Massages - try "The Massage Specialists" at 1750 Kalakaua Ave. Suite 512. Phone # 941-1068. It's across from the Convention Center. If you want a Lomi Lomi Massage, which is a deep tissue massage, ask for Lei and get one for a hour and a half. It's only $60. My wife has been a massage therapists for over 12 years and is very good, but this was one of the best massages I have ever had. If you have never had a massage before I wouldn't recommend a Lomi Lomi, but if you decide to have one make sure you drink a lot of water afterwards, or you will regret it.

Flying - AMCC was very helpful and Base Ops wasn't bad. Car rental at the Pax Terminal. Plan on a STAR coming in and SID going out. Hickam is weird because it shares the runway with Honolulu Intl. If you're not ready to go when number one you won't make friends with ATC. Hickam is an uncontrolled ramp so you don't talk to Honolulu ground for engine start you talk to "Hickam Ramp." Read AP remarks or risk getting violated.

Update for you folks going to Hickam, especially you C-130 crews!! When arriving into HIK (HNL), expect ATC to make you speed it up on final. We had to keep the gear up because they wanted us to do 180! Yes you are reading this right! So we we're configured, and had to raise the gear, only to lower it again! This was on final for 8L! When you land, you have to talk to Hickham Ramp Tramp on 133.6 for further taxi. When arriving into Base Ops, you'll notice an itinerary in Command Post for all transient crews to abide by (i.e. crews show 3+00 prior to T.O., taxi 0+30, etc) otherwise they will call you on UHF and wonder why you haven't departed or why you are late. They are extremely anal! When C-130 crews depart, follow the special departure procedure paragraph in the Trouble-T section because you're climb gradient is NOT going to meet the SID climbout. ATC is pretty good about this in your clearance because there were C-130's stationed here once upon a time. Just be aware.

Just to piggy back on some comments about Hickam. It is definitely the place to break! However, Honolulu is a freakin tourist trap, and traffic is terrible! ALL TRANSITING CREWS, BE ADVISED: The baseops and command post here are extremely anal in crews departing on time. They literally have an itinerary you must follow (3+00 prior:Crews arrive; 0+30: Taxi, and so on), otherwise Command post will call you up and harass you.

Hilo, Hawaii - Naniloa 808-969-3333 was a decent hotel. Landed at Hilo IAP on a Sat. Hilo doesn't have seem to get very many military aircraft, but we got very good service from the airport. The Air Service Hawaii guys were very helpful in getting us everything they could. One word of caution, they don't have airstairs. We were able to fax our 1801 to Hickam from the FBO, and Hickam faxed weather and NOTAMS right to the hotel. We left on a Sun. The USDA inspector called us at the hotel to set up a time to meet. If you leave on a weekend and are heading back to the States, you will have to pay for the inspection. Costs about $180. We gave the inspector the address and phone number to our Finance office and she was happy with that. The hotel was decent. The rooms looked like a standard billeting room (two beds, an old tv, a table with a couple of chairs, and a small refrigerator). It has a small shop in the lobby, a couple restaurants, a pool, and a bar. A better hotel to stay at might be the Hilo Hawaiian (1 808 935-9361), although the room rate may be above the max. We ate their (Hilo Hawaiian) dinner buffet, which was pretty awesome and not too expensive, $27 which includes all you can drink of their draft beer or house wines. Both hotels are very close together and only a few minutes from the airport. We stopped at Ken's House of Pancakes on the way to the airport and had an incredible breakfast. The place was packed and looked like a favorite of the locals. We didn't have much time to explore, however you can tour an active volcano that is about 30 minutes away.

New addition - FedEx has airstairs for MD-11/DC-10 use, and only has one flight a day. These can be used, the ramp services contractor is now Bradley Pacific, contact them and they'll do the legwork. Aloha Air Cargo also has airstairs for 737 service, those will work better with KC-135 guys as the MD-11 ones are fixed scaffolding. Good food choices are Hilo Burger Joint (all locally raised beef, decent beer selection, reasonable prices for Hilo), Coconut Grille, Cronies (more expensive sports bar type place, typical Hawaii prices - 5 bucks a beer), Big Island Pizza though mostly to go since the seating area is a covered outdoor patio. For more upscale (and pricier)dinner try Cafe Pesto, Pescatore (Italian place), or Hilo Bay Cafe (in the Wal Mart shopping center). For CHEAP and delicious sushi, try Ocean Sushi downtown. For local food, Ken's is a favorite (and the only 24hr eatery in Hilo), also Cafe 100, and Verna's or Blaine's for fast-food-type local (tho they do have a good menu beyond burgers and fries). Sombat's Thai restaurant is awesome and reasonably priced, tho very small on the inside. Other choices are Maui Tacos or Spoonful Cafe (Thai) in the mall. The mall is also where the movie theater is, there's also a dollar theater in the downtown waterfront area.

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Got this from a Marine bud, recommendations for things to do in Oahu; thought it was worth sharing...Cheers! M2

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TDY Gouge - Germany

Ramstein AB, Germany - For things to do while deployed to Germany, check out: www.letsgo-europe.com. If at all possible try NOT to stay at Sembach - bare conditions with sparse food/entertainment opportunities. For billetting on-base at Ramstein, make reservations early. They separate aircrews from Duty Pax. Transpo is LESS than helpful - especially if you have Duty Pax... A good hotel in downtown Ramstien Village is the Ramstienerhof-- the food is the best I had in 5 rotes to Germany and the owners are very cool. SchlossCafe Hotel in Landstuhl - Nestled in a quiet area just under the Castle and under your per diem rate (which is $105 US right now). Location is key, Barbarosa Hof / Hotel Zep is decent and very near Riverside (about 1 klick or less); Wed. is ladies' night at Riverside - lots of talent. For a good time, take a cab/drive to St. Martin Platz in K-town. Good pubs are the Hannen Fas, Markthalle Cafe (German hotties, but don't look like an American or you won't get through the door). Good Irish bars are Thirsty Nellies and The Harp. Ask about the Irish House which is on your way to Sembach out of K-town. Live Music, good spot. Good restaurants: il Cappricio in Ramstein, St. Martins in K-town. "Alt Landstuhl" is a great restaurant for the finer German cuisine (not cheap). Hotel Christine (06371/9020) is located in Landstuhl, this hotel is very nice. Huge rooms with kitchen and huge bathroom. Make sure you ask for the rooms up the hill, they are the newer ones. Three great restaurants located right next door, Chinese, Greek, and Italian. ~If you stay on base, eat at the German Cantina. It's a little hard to find, but get directions from the Prime Knight staff. It's in one of those buildings right next to prime knight. Good food and beer and very reasonable. The Dorint Hotel is **** and is a contract hotel for Ramstein. The drive is about 20 minutes downtown by crew bus. UDrives are very hard to get from Transportation. Van rentals on base by the gas station for about $100.00/day. There is one Rest. about a 10 min walk down the hill, Joe's Road House. Pretty good American/German food and the kitchen stays open til 0100. Nice pool, get your code and good directions. Walking distance to the FCK soccer stadium, if a game is on GO! ~Buy liquor across from Prime Night Billeting at the Canadian or Britain liquor store. It is located in a regular office building, just ask billeting receptionist how to get there. You can buy liquor without paying U.S. taxes and save alot of money. Everything kind of hard liquor there. They work normal day time hours and close around 1630 daily.

~Prime Knight was a Dump. While we thought the on base stuff was survivable but far from nice, wedid enjoy a day in K-Town. The highlight for places to eat/drink at was the Spinnradl in thepedestrian part of the town. True the menu was somewhat limited but hey it was very authentic and very good. Excellent cigar selection as well was reported by our crew (I don't smoke). ~Pirsch hotel was nice. Guessing game as to if you will get a closet sized room or a large one. But rooms are descent. Summers used to be bad due to no AC in the DE. But last time I was here they had individual fans in the rooms. The restaurant downstairs is awesome and so is the help. They have a night for just about every kind of schnitzel you can think of. Try something other than the same ol' jagerschnitzel. And say hello to Yyvone for me. ~St Pauleshof hotel - the drive to the hotel is not bad, 20 min tops. An Italian couple run the cleanest hotel I have ever stayed at! Quiet and out of the way is no problem with no transpo. The hotel owner DROVE us back to base to get a rental car. They bent over backwards to make our stay pleasent. The eating options are scarce, BUT, the restaurant has great food! Party drill is back down to Landsthul..... ~American Hotel was a dump! It's a new hotel off the beaten path and very happy to see you show up (Contract Hotel) however there's no where to go without a cab and most importantly you better not be tired because there's some sort of Rod and Gun club in the woods across from the entrance. It sounds like a firing squad's in the woods while you try to recover from a 24 hour day!

~Hotel Christine - (+49) 06371 - 9020 Compared to other hotels in the region, I found the Hotel Christine to be a palace! Service is what sets this hotel heads and shoulders above the rest. For Example: Amenities like a free shoe-shine machine just up from the lobby ensures that we all looked our best. They also have a coin operated laundry and a secured parking garage. It is a wi-fi hotspot so you can buy time and use your 802.11 pocket PC or wireless laptop. There is also a terminal in the lobby where you can purchase a card that gives you time on the terminal. The breakfast was served from 0530-1000hrs. Everything was fresh and the cook was highly skilled. The restaurant (The Cockpit Lounge) was fantastic. Serving everything from German food to some of the best Prime Rib I have eaten anywhere. Service was great and there are several different areas where the crew gather for a drink or meal. The decorum was aviation driven and the ceiling fan was unique (a prop from a DC-6). This is definitely not a GI bar, but more of an upscale atmosphere where you can where a flight suit, jeans, or a suit and tie and still fit in. The Hotel Christine is a must if you are staying in the Ramstein / Landstuhl area. (I have heard that the news anchors and other celebrities stay there from time to time, so you never know who you will see at the bar in the evening.)

~Stayed in the Hotel Europa a week, rooms are typical European style but the breakfast buffet every morning was outstanding. The hotel staff is very friendly and helpful too. The hotel is about 5KM from the gate and within walking distance of several nice restaurants/pubs.

Rhein Main AB, Frankfurt, Germany - What a dump? The Terra Hotel is right next to a dump. Heaven forbid you get the room on the side of the dump when the wind is blowing in. Or when the trucks start to roll at 5am with a 8am wakeup. We stayed one night then pleaded to stay on base. Thank God they had rooms. What a dump!!! We had a temporary delay in Frankfurt, I got the whole group of us (14) rooms at the Frankfurt Main Sheraton. It is right at the airport - connected to the terminal right above the USO office. I talked them down to the gov rate and it was worth it. Plush rooms, fantastic service, even a bathrobe in your room! Just got done with a week of TDY there (01-01). Here's the scoop. Billeting was on base. Prime Knight is not bad, 2 to a suite (living area, shared bath, each with private bedroom -- used to be family housing, free laundry downstairs). Places on base to eat: Avoid the bowling alley like the plague!! The food is overpriced and VERY average. Rocket Club seems to be ok. Zepplinhaus (Z house), the consolidated club was the best of the bunch. Cheap and good. Ask for a U drive. We had no problems getting 2. Rhein Main will be open until 2005 and they literally have nothing to do. AMCC support was outstanding from start to finish. OFFBASE EATING: You MUST go to the resturaunt called ZAGREB, over in Morfelder/Waldorff. OUTSTANDING German and Balkan food, plus it's cheap! Dinner is finished off with a complimentary hot toddy. This place rocks!! About a 30 DM taxi ride from billeting. Taxi to the Frankfurt International Airport costs about 35-40 DM. There is a very good 24 hour German restaurant in the train level of the airport. Also a Mickey D's (24 hours). You can catch a train into Frankfurt or elsewhere (Wiesbaden, Mainz, etc.) We took a train to Rudesheim, a city on the Rhine river. It was the middle of winter, so the town was dead, but looked like it would rock in the summer (drinking wine or beer overlooking the river). Decided the best way to get into Frankfurt (or Sachsenhausen) was to take a cab . 50 DM got you! downtown in about 20 minutes. Taking a cab to the airport, then buying a group train ticket (good for up to 5 people on trains and subways for 24 hours -- 14 DM) was cheaper but took 90 minutes to get downtown. Sachsenhausen is the bar district. Try a bar called Das Eiserne Hahn (The Iron Chicken), and ask for Heike! Very friendly to Americans. When you get kicked out of Sachsenhausen and need some late night grub, take a taxi across the river to Shooters, and Australian pub open till 4 am. I know, who drinks Fosters in Germany, but hey, you can get a plate of fries for cheap. If you're looking for people watching places, try Gotheplatz, it's the equivalent of Times square in Frankfurt. Lots of restaraunts, shopping, etc.I can't tell you how many times I've gone to the Irish Pub and seen a familiar face from AMC. Not the place to go to experience German culture, but if you don't speak the lingo, it's certainly a great place for a crazy time with all those cute british and irish nannies in Germany. Of course after the bars close at 2am you can go across the street for a Donner Kabob to grease up you stomach lining and slow the absorption of booze into your system. ~Hotel Domizile was A Dump: If a feather falls at the opposite end of the hallway, your door is closed and you are asleep with your TV on, CAN YOU HEAR IT???? Only if you are staying at this place. While the staff was very helpful and friendly, the place has more echo's than your favorite cave does! You are about 10-15 minutes from the train station (by foot) but that does count as your exercise for the day. There is a very good restaurant though just off the main drag one block up from Hotel D. though on the right side just past the grocery store. This place is awesome for great authentic German food and beer and wine...wow. ~Esprix hotel was decent. For those of us old enough to remember the hotel on base (back when RM was a REAL base) you'll be in for a shock. The place was gutted and now sports very nice rooms, cable TV with CNN & BBC, and a restaurant downstairs. The balconies have been torn off for insurance reasons, and check-in takes some time since the hotel also caters to civilian travelers. The hotel offers free transport to the civilian side of the airport so you can hop a train downtown with little fuss, and the hotel is RIGHT off base so your options for entertainment increase 10-fold with a 200 yard walk to the gate. ~Down the street from the Domizil Hotel, and around the corner from the Terra hotel is a great Turkish place called the "Orient Restaurant" of all things. Great Doners, and anything else you would want. The staff is also very friendly, and very cool too. ~Holiday Inn - Sachsenhausen real nice. First off, Trans at Frankfurt sucks. We had to make three phone calls and waited 45 minutes to get taken to the hotel. While waiting we were able to have a 50 cent beer from the T-tail Stage Snack Bar. On the backside, they neglected to pick up our crew chiefs. The Holiday Inn- Sachsenhausen was very nice since it was conference center. The breakast was about $9 and all you could eat and you could get beer with breakfast. Euros can be purchased at the front desk for a nominal fee. Right outside the hotel is a bus stop which you can take downtown. For 7 Euro, 5 people can ride on one bus pass. We arrived on Sunday and downtown was dead. For -135 guys, AMCC will not prefile for you. However, the computer in the mission planning area will let you file your 1801 on-line which was cool except it will reject your plan in you have to many letters for the equipment codes. Before you leave you must get a brief from the Stan/Eval guys downstairs on the SID's and n oise abatement. TACC flight planned the SID off 18 with the close-in turn. At 170K fuel load we were barely able to fly the procedure so do the one that takes you out farther. Also, the Sky Cops want a copy of your flight orders for some reason. ~Must try Corner Steak House (directions listed in billeting guide in rooms). Great steaks cooked on hot lava rocks at your table. Prices about $15 for 7 oz. fillet.

~(07/03)Rhein-Main is trying to be the hub it used to be, but without the base support structure to make it happen smoothly. Most Middle East bound duty pax now pass through here via commercial entry through Frankfurt Main Airport across the ramp. USO is located in Terminal 1, Hall C, downstairs at Frankfurt Main. They can get you a mil bus or cab to base. If traveling alone or in small numbers and will RON for the rotator the next day, either spend the $15 Euros for the cab to AF billeting at RMAB (bldg 340) or check out the Sheraton mentioned above. Expect Contingency Billeting on base (think Moron AB, Sp = 6 bunks/room, community showers, no trans support on base, and a bag drag from hell. It's probably worth it to stay at the Sheraton and cab it to base the next morning (claim it per the 24 hr billeting rule).

~Update 10/05 -- Rhein-Main is now officially closed to AMC traffic. Ramstein is now the AMC hub with Spangdahlem as the contingency/overflow base.

Spangdahlem AB, Germany - Terra Ventura Hotel ++49(0)6565/9 25-0 fax ++49(0)65 65/9 25-105 was a decent hotel. Stayed here for 40 days while in Spangdahlem. Hotel was very friendly with desk clerks that can tell you where to go at night. Rooms are not all that big with bathrooms being smaller. Has a restaurant and a bar. The restaurant is ok with service being decent at best. There is a pool and a spa. There are good clubs nearby in Bitburg and Trier with Frankfurt being and hour to hour and half away.

Stuttgart, Germany - Copthorne (0711)7210 is an excellent Hotel located 10 minutes away from the airport. The Base ops guys called and got us reservations and the hotel provides a shuttle. Numerous restaurants and bars inside the actual hotel, getting to downtown Stuttgart is easy. Do not take a cab, exit the hotel and go left on the street in front. There is train station there and it will cost you 3,70DM about $1.50 to get downtown. ~I was stationed at Ramstein for 2 years and the Copthorne was a "kill" to get tdy. Right next to but not part of the hotel is a Sauna complex as big an indoor football field. Maybe 15 different kinds of saunas. Upscale and very clean, like only the Germans can make it. Best part about it...TOTALLY NUDE! You got it. 30 something crowd drankin' and swingin' it every night. Friday the best. Adult DisneyLand if there is one. Love those Germans. Great eats also at the Irish Bar. ~The Millenium was a palace (Hotel formerly called the Copthorne). Super nice digs under per diem! Free deluxe breakfast! Cold beer in the room! Highly recommend this fine establishment!

~Hilltop Hotel, Robinson Barracks DSN 422-7193 FAX 0711-896527199 is a nice hotel. For on base lodging close to the airfield, stay at Kelly Barracks (DSN 421-2815). Kelly was full, so we stayed at the Hilltop Hotel on Robinson Barracks, about a 30 minute cab ride (about 45 Euro) from Stuttgart airfield. Nice place with good rooms and suites. Rooms have DVD players and international access phones. Continental Breakfast in the Lobby. To get downtown from Robinson Barracks, ask someone where the chapel gate is...it's a small walk-in gate close to the nearest city bus stop. From there, take the 57 bus to Pragstattel train station (about 5 minutes/2 stops downhill from Robinson Barracks). From Pragstattel station take the U5 or U6 trains downtown. Trains run about until midnight...after that you're taking a cab back for about 20 Euro. If you travel in a large group, be sure to mention this to the bus driver and get a day pass ticket, good for travel all over Stuttgart on both trains and busses. Be sure to order the Apple Strudel at local restaurants to soak up all the Weissbier.

~The Millennium Hotel and Resort was awesome! (PH 49-711-721-1050 FAX 49-711-721-2931) The hotel is part of a resort complex featuring restaurants, bars, cinemas, spas (yes, its nude-only), and shopping areas. 20% discount for military at the spa. Only a 15 minute drive from the military side of Stuttgart Airport. Coordinate transportation (bus) through baseops (we used Hofmann Co. and they are allowed on base and the flightline). Taxi's aren't permitted on base. Right behind the hotel is a train station that can get you downtown. Ask hotel staff for a map. Wireless Internet, business center to print IMT papers. Do not request services outside the hours of airfield operation or the Germans will get pissed! (wet and dry ice requires cash).

~Eat at the Block House restaurant. Great steaks for 15 euro. You will not be let down! It is at the Bahnhof. All trains lead to it. http://www.block-hou...bh/en/home.html

Heidelberg, Germany - The Heidelberg Marriott Hotel is on the Neckar River and easily within walking distance of the downtown/castle area. Free Wifi and a Concierge Lounge with free breakfast, snacks and booze during certain hours.

Munich, Germany - Munich Park Hilton was nice! Parking at Munich is at general aviation ramp. Contact the American Consul Munich for rooms/transpo. 30 min drive to hotel/downtown. Service at airport is good, AF 15 or Form 44 required for landing fees, etc. Check out the hoffbrauhouse...a must when in Munich. Park Hilton is nice but $$$, if they could get away with it they'd charge you for breathing. ~Kempinski Airport Hotel (49) 8997820 was a nice place - right at or slightly above perdiem depending on the Euro. Very nice suite like air conditioned rooms. Breakfast included. Munich airport has a very large shopping area with a large variety of shops. Subway station right in the terminal for easy access to downtown Munich. Air Brau restaurant in the airport shopping area has their own home made brews and large menu.

Nurnberg, Germany - Le Meridien Grand Hotel 011 49 (0)911 2322-0/-444 was a very nice hotel. Very nice! Right downtown/across from the subway/train station. Just a couple of blocks from old town. About 2 hour train ride to Munich, but also lots to see in Nurnberg--known for great knackwurst (hot dogs/sausage), Lebkuchen (cake-like cookies), and Nazi war crime trials. Nurnberg is in Bavaria--good beer! The hotel will lay out a complimentary breakfast spread if you are leaving early. Holiday Inn City Centre 49-911-242500 was great. Nurnberg is a beautiful city in Germany. The General Aviation folks provided good service. The Holiday In City Centre was a very nice hotel. It is in the old town; a quick walk to all the sights, shopping, and restaurants. They have an excellent breakfast buffet that you might be able to negotiate into the roomrate. Two floors have free internet terminals and the rooms have internet hookups. Great food everywhere. If you tire of brats and krauts try the Italian. 'Spaghetteria Della Nonna Cafe Bar' is excellent. It is found at 7 Luitpoldstrasse street (0911) 2358464.

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TDY Gouge - El Salvador

San Salvador

Marriott Courtyard San Salvador (Esquina Calle 2 y calle 3, phone: 503-2-2493000) is probably the best place to stay. Safe (armed guards patrolling the grounds), nearby shopping and food (La Gran Via is right next door, the Walmart is just beyond that, and another mall just past it). Lots of US fast food nearby. Good free breakfast (local fare), and discrete taxi service to Comalapa if needed. Rooms are standard Marriott, always top standard.

The Hotel Princess (503)298-4545 fax(503)298-4500 is a fantastic hotel with awesome service located in upscale "Zona Rosa". Great hotel bar - Churchill's. Nice pool, 24-hour room service or restaurant, spa on top floor with hot tub/ sauna/ dumb bells/ cybex machines/ and cheap massages! Lounge singer on Wed-Fri nights. About 45 minutes from San Sal Int. Airport. Transpo is coordinated with AMC station chief. Several good restaurants, bars, discos in the area. Also, supermarket right around the block. ATM nearby. Eat at Guadelahara rest./bar (food, drinks, dancing). ~ Though we didn't stay overnight, I was in San Sal in Feb 02, and would like to post the best/latest AMC Stn Mgr info, since our illustrious GIANT reports tend to be quite hit-or-miss in this region... AMC Stn Mgr is Mr Rafael Pena (assistant is Maria -- she's the one who met us, and was fantastic with her support and assistance!)... Work # is 503-262-4130, Home 503-339-9021, Fax 503-262-3727, Cell (Best!) 503-885-9315... email at avonca@navegante.com.sv .

Great hotel near Zona Rosa. Cigars sold in the bar and also in a cigar shop attached to the hotel- they are a little pricey, but they were worth it! Local beer, Pilsener, is very good. Nice pool area. Top three floors are the concierge floor with comp food and drinks. Sheraton Princess was a great hotel. Rafael Pena was an outstanding handler at the airport; trust his advice on filing, and on local customs. A couple of updates: A very nice hotel. Very easy to eat at/under the per diem without leaving the hotel. T-Mobile works there for about $1.99 per minute.

Comalapa

Quality Hotel Real Aeropuerto El Salvador (503 2366 0000) is about your best choice in the area. Good security and nice rooms, bar and restaurant and a decent free breakfast. Nice pool with a hot tub, volleyball and basketball courts. Not much to do in the local area unless you hit the beach and go surfing, most travel to San Salvador (45 minutes if no accidents or delays) to go shopping or to hit the nightlife.

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FTU Wiki - Seymour Johnson AFB, NC

Seymour Johnson AFB, NC is the home to the F-15E Formal Training Unit (FTU) for F-15E student pilots and Weapon System Officers (WSOs). There are two FTU squadrons; the 333rd Fighter Squadron (FS) "Lancers" and 334th FS "Eagles", in addition to two Operational Squadrons; the 335th FS "Chiefs" and 336th FS "Rockets". The squadrons conduct formal training for initial Strike Eagle qualification (Basic or "B" Course), requalification ("TX" or "Transition" course), Instructor ("I") qualification course, and Senior Officer Course ("SOC"). This page deals primarily with the B-Course. Students in the B course are recent graduates of pilot and navigator training requiring current physiological and survival training and an up-to-date Top Secret security clearance. Course duration is 160 days; 41 ground training days, and 119 flying training days. With weekends and holidays accounted for, this equates to roughly seven months of training. The course consists of 305 academic hours, 107 aircrew training device hours (simulators and device trainers) and 44/41 sorties (pilot/WSO). Students must complete a minimum of four simulators and five academic courses and tests before their first sortie. In general, student WSOs (SWs) will fly in the Rear Cockpit (RCP) of the Instructor Pilot (IP) flight lead and Student Pilots (SPs) will fly with an Instructor WSO (IWSO). Exceptions to this are when SPs are required to fly with an IP in the RCP (until landing proficiency is demonstrated and on sorties where new events are introduced such as BFM, formation takeoff and landing, and low altitude/range operations), and when students fly together as 'crew solo'. Breakdown for sorties is as follows:

TR (Transition) phase:

7 rides for student pilots (SPs), four rides for student WSOs (SWs). TR-1 is a single-ship for SP only as F-15E orientation. TR-2 and TR-3 are flown as 2-ship with SWs in the RCP of the IP (lead) aircraft. SPs will fly with an IP in the RCP until they are cleared 'crew solo' on TR-3. TR-4 is a 'crew solo' ride, meaning the SP and SW fly together in the same aircraft – the profile starts with them in the wingman position for the first half, then they take the lead for the second half and are chased by the instructor crew. TR-5 is single ship for the SP in preparation for the TR-6 checkride. Pilots take their "Form 8" checkride on their sixth TR ride. This ride is a single-ship sortie with an Instructor Pilot (IP) Flight Evaluator (FE) in the Rear Cockpit (RCP). Mission preparation includes manual creation of a Form 70 (fuel calculations), and DD-175 flight plan. EP and GK for the ride are at the discretion of the FE. The sortie is generally a local "round-robin" profile which includes departure to local operating airspace for G-Exercise, aerobatic maneuvers (AB loop, pitchback, sliceback are standard), and unusual attitude recoveries. Following area work, the student will proceed to a local out base (Langley AFB, NAS Oceana, Shaw AFB, NAS Norfolk, Charleston AFB, NAS Cherry Point) for a fix-to-fix to the holding fix, one turn in holding, instrument penetration to an instrument approach. A minimum of one precision and non-precision approach must be flown during the sortie (desired three – PAR, ILS, and TACAN or localizer) and missed approach, though the order may be left up to the student. Following the outbase approach, student will RTB to Seymour Johnson to finish the remaining approaches and conduct normal and emergency patterns (only one of each is required for the ride). The checkride is much more "big picture" than UPT checkrides, with an average of less than one downgrade per ride. A prerequisite for this sortie is the eight sortie, a Form 8 Emergency Procedure (EP) simulator which is tracked in the same manner as the checkride. The last ride in the TR phase is the 2-ship Advanced Handling Characteristics (AHC) ride which explores the edges of the F-15E flight regime.

Aerial Attack (A/A) phase

Students fly three Offensive Basic Fighter Maneuver (OBFM) and three Defensive BFM (DBFM) sorties. On the first of each of the sorties, SPs will fly with an IP and SW will essentially see the opposite profile (they see DBFM when SP flies OBFM and vice versa). The second and third of each of these sets of rides is flown as crew solo. Students must Demonstrate Proficiency (Demo Pro) on the third OBFM and DBFM sortie. Next is one defensive and one offensive Air-Combat Maneuvers (ACM) ride which puts the student 2-ship against one "bandit" within visual range. Demo Pro is not required for ACM, though certain items within the ride require proficiency (weapons employment, for example). The next two rides are "Element Threat Reaction" (ETR). ETR-1 is a notch-press ride and ETR-2 is a medium-altitude Surface-to-Air (SA) threat reaction ride. Demo Pro is not required on these rides. The final four rides in the A/A phase are 2v2 tactical intercept or "INT" rides where students employ as a 2-ship against a 2-ship of red air. The final ride is a Demo Pro ride. Students are required to conduct air-to-air refueling (AAR) a minimum of two times at some point during the syllabus, and generally accomplish this during the A/A phase.

Surface Attack (SA) phase

The SA phase introduces the students to low altitude (LOWAT - 500 feet above ground level (AGL)) maneuvering, LOWAT intercepts, range and air-to-ground (A/G) weapon operations, and Close Air Support (CAS). During range operations, students drop BDU-33 (25 lb practice bombs), inert (non-warhead) Mark-82 500 lb bombs and inert GBU-12 laser-guided 500 lb bombs. Simulated weapons include Mk-82, Mk-84, GBU-12, GBU-10, GBU-24, and JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition). The phase begins with Low-Altitude Step Down Training (LASDT) which introduces the student to low-level flight and range operations. Throughout the remainder of the phase are two additional LASDT sorties (one for LOWAT 1v1 intercepts and one for LOWAT 2v2 intercepts), and seven SA sorties which emphasize low-level tactical formation and Terrain Following (TF) flight, threat reactions, range operations, and weapons deliveries. The seventh SA sortie is the WSO Form 8 checkride. Mission preparation includes low level mission and attack planning and briefing. WSOs must demonstrate proficiency in planning, briefing, and target attack. The final two SA sorties are day CAS sorties simulating JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) coordination and TST (Time Sensitive Targeting), with the second being Demo Pro. Three of the surface attack sorties are flown as crew solo (one TF sortie, one SA sortie, and one CAS sortie)

Night phase

The night phase has two (N)TR rides and four SA night (SAN) rides. All night sorties are flown with Night Vision Goggles (NVGs). Students are required to conduct night AAR a minimum of two times during this phase. NTR introduces night operations, formation, and night overhead patterns and landings, while NTR-2 introduces night 2v2 intercepts and requires student pilots to demonstrate proficiency in night landings and formation. SAN-1 and 2 are night low-level sorties flying off the TF system and conducting attacks on and off the controlled range. SAN-3 and 4 are night CAS sorties; a repeat of the final two day SA rides, only at night (SAN-4 is flown as crew solo).

Surface Attack Tactics (SAT) phase

The final three rides in the program are SAT; tactical scenarios that incorporate simulated A/G and A/A threats, mission packages, targets, and TOT (Time on Target) windows. The last two SAT sorties are flown crew solo and may employ actual heavyweight (though inert) weapons.

Approximately six weeks prior to graduation, student assignments are decided. The three operational F-15E locations are Seymour Johnson AFB, Mountain Home AFB (Idaho) and RAF Lakenheath (England). Students rank-order their requested bases and assignments are almost exclusively decided from class performance, though officership and flight commander ranking do factor into the overall score.

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FTU Wiki - C-21 Schoolhouse, Keesler AFB, MS

Almost everything you need about the course is on the AF portal page for the 45 AS at:

https://www.my.af.mi...123772727040040

The course is divided between the simulator phase, currently under contract with Simuflite in Dallas, and the flying FTU at Keesler AFB.

The course is relatively fast paced, but not so much as UPT. It's much faster than Altus, lasting 6 weeks. Instructors and evaluators are big pretty big picture, and appear to genuinely care about getting the students qualified in the important aspects of flying the jet, and out the door. Phrases I'd use to describe the 45th while I was in Initial Qual were professional, avoided queep, focused, relaxed, good guys.

Rumors are that the FTU may begin including a tactics qual in the near future (info as of Jan 2010).

The only Form 8 is from KBIX, and there is no simulator evaluation of any kind, to include final comments on the KBIX form 8.

In Dallas, most used to stay in Homewood Suites, Grapevine. Now its mixed - Hilton Southlake, Emb Suites, and some others are good. Families tend to stay at the Great Wolf lodge, as they have an attached water park.

Biloxi of course has casino's which have some pretty good concerts.

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FTU Wiki - Altus AFB, OK

CFIC (as of 09-02)

TD1: Inprocessing, FlightSafety academics TD2: FlightSafety academics TD3: AM: FlightSafety academics, PM: OFT1 TD4: OFT2 TD5: OFT3 TD6: OFT4 TD7: OFT5 TD8: OFT6 TD9: Report to Flightline

Flightline training is 3 rides then a check.

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FTU Wiki - Tyndall AFB, FL

Enter your FTU Gouge here.

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FTU Wiki - Little Rock AFB, AR

Enter your FTU Gouge here.

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FTU Wiki - Luke AFB, AZ

Enter your FTU Gouge here.

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FTU Wiki - Dobbins AFB, GA

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