Do not stay in a PIT pad. You get $109 per day (more than $3k per month). A PIT pad is throwing your money away, especially if you are bringing your family.
Rent a furnished house.

Extended stay hotels work as well. I stayed 2 months at a pit pad before moving to an extended stay hotel. No more worrying about getting blocked in the driveway or fighting a bunch of other dudes for fridge space or the bathroom to get ready in the morning.

There's some furnished houses out there specifically as family PIT pads where it'd be just your house for the time. They are few but exist on the Facebooks as your best source 

On 7/14/2021 at 6:05 AM, RedEye1911 said:

Do not stay in a PIT pad. You get $109 per day (more than $3k per month). A PIT pad is throwing your money away, especially if you are bringing your family.

Rent a furnished house.

Yeah, I am looking for whole house versions, not just a room.

Anybody stay downtown for PIT?

Anybody stay downtown for PIT?

I didn’t, but I don’t see why you couldn’t. Traffic may suck getting to RND every morning.

I stayed off of 1604 and Bulverde rd, relatively traffic free 20 minute commute, next to the nicest HEB in the area, and a stone throw to all that Stone Oak has to offer


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If you are looking at a hotel downtown the problem is parking. Most hotels charge 15-25 dollars a night. Unless you want to pay that, I feel that would be difficult to justify.


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I went the (somewhat) furnished apartment route in universal city …. But that was a lifetime ago. 

I stayed in an apartment off Stone Oak while going through PIT. Asking around, I haven’t found anybody who has lived downtown. Trying to make recommendations to a buddy who will be going in a few months. They want to stay downtown but I’m not sure what the prospects are like. 

Check the Inspire Downtown. Rented there long-term (under previous management) and they used to have a furnished unit for short-term rentals.


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23 hours ago, Standby said:

Anybody stay downtown for PIT?

I wasn’t headed to Randolph, but definitely knew a ton of folks that were staying in South Flores area right south of downtown. Most were going to Kelly, but knew a couple that we’re headed up to Randy and it’s not terrible because you’re going against traffic. 

I stayed in a house for lodging rate, but COVID was a help with that being possible. Knew quite a few folks that stayed at Big Tex, Judson’s, and a place across from the South Flores HEB. 

It’s a great area with a ton to do, so definitely would recommend it; even over being right downtown by Riverwalk. Less touristy, plenty of food and drink spots, and close enough to downtown for a cheap Uber/walk. Much more lively than being up by Randy and you’ll have other pilots around (mostly C5 FTU folks, but some PIT.

Can give you a name of a great crash pad operator, if you’re interested. Haha just don’t want to post it up here to seem like I’m pushing them (PM me if you want their contact), but some googling should find a few options. 

Feel free to ask any more questions you may have. I was there a year ago, but guessing things haven’t changed too much. 

I went to Randolph for PIT a year ago. I wouldn't recommend staying in downtown SA that's a long commute to get to work every morning. Most guys stayed within a 20minute drive to base, which is nice during those early mornings. Some Crashpads are nicer than others so make sure to do your research. I stayed at a company called [redacted] it was super nice and had a pool along with all the standard amenities. a quick google search will show you some nice crashpad options.

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literally shilling your pit pad.

 

 stay in southtown, idk why you would want to be in cibolo, converse, schertz, selma 

I can think of multiple reasons why you’d stay in schertz, and the all start with HEB.

Any insight on T-38 PIT being coded as a PCS now? A friend of mine just got orders for a PCS to Randolph for PIT prior to assignment at Columbus. I've heard the time to completion has recently been getting longer (sts) due to mx issues with the 38. The ETCA announcement still says it's a TDY out-and-back but they haven't updated course information since January. If they formally extended the course length past 20 weeks then I think 36-2110 rules regarding PCS vs TDY for training apply. That's the only explanation I can think of. Trying to make some life plans, and this would certainly change things...

Heavy guys will PCS based on the length of their syllabus. CONUS based fighter guys will go TDY. Unfortunately, they’ll have to go back to their unit to out process once they finish PIT. The OCONUS fighter guys I know went TDY enroute.

Edited October 3, 20232 yr by Boomer6

On 10/2/2023 at 12:22 PM, Ant-man said:

Any insight on T-38 PIT being coded as a PCS now? A friend of mine just got orders for a PCS to Randolph for PIT prior to assignment at Columbus. I've heard the time to completion has recently been getting longer (sts) due to mx issues with the 38. The ETCA announcement still says it's a TDY out-and-back but they haven't updated course information since January. If they formally extended the course length past 20 weeks then I think 36-2110 rules regarding PCS vs TDY for training apply. That's the only explanation I can think of. Trying to make some life plans, and this would certainly change things...

C track (non-fighter/faip) ETCA is explicit it’s a PCS.

On 10/8/2023 at 9:34 PM, LookieRookie said:

C track (non-fighter/faip) ETCA is explicit it’s a PCS.

How does that work? PCS with family and everything to Randolph and then PCS to Vance/Laughlin/etc?

A PCS... to learn how to instruct in the T-38?  

YGBSM.  

A PCS... to learn how to instruct in the T-38?  
YGBSM.  

Wasn’t PIT about 3 months long in the early 90s, or is my memory failing?


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Probably 3.5-4 months, IIRC. And there were quite a few more events/sorties than there are now. 
Also, the C-model flies about .1 shorter sorties than the A does. 

Just long enough to start getting tired of The Auger Inn every Friday night…


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On 10/12/2023 at 7:28 AM, RASH said:

Just long enough to start getting tired of The Auger Inn every Friday night…


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Correction: just long enough to get tired of the old reservists and generals telling you how awesome the auger inn used to be before 9/11.

 

"I know I'm literally the commander that is now writing my subordinates LORs and article 15s for irresponsible drinking, but when I was a captain at the auger inn we used to all get wildly drunk, grope strippers at the bar, then drive inebriated while security forces covered for us. Side note, why are all you young guys leaving for the airlines?"

On 10/10/2023 at 12:32 AM, Danger41 said:

How does that work? PCS with family and everything to Randolph and then PCS to Vance/Laughlin/etc?

Yes. The course is now over 6 months which requires a secretarial waiver to be TDY.

On 10/10/2023 at 12:35 AM, HuggyU2 said:

A PCS... to learn how to instruct in the T-38?  

YGBSM.  

Background of students. There were so many additional sorties that in reality the course was under resourced.

 Pilots that haven’t hand flown much since pilot training did  not do well in a syllabus that was originally primarily designed for 11Fs with a smattering of 11Bs

 There are now front seat contact (transition) and formation progress checks before rear cockpit flying after in the IQ check. UIPs that can’t hack it are cut before wasting resources.

I did a quick experiment and if I were to attend T-38 PIT for 6 months and leave my 4 kids at my original base to not move again in six months, in BAH alone it would cost me almost $5000.