I am moving to Europe in a few months, and want to continue my PPL training. I'm not sure which US Military base I will be stationed at. I've been told that "AeroClubs" within or near military bases are rather common, and that I may be able to continue my training there. Obviously, my information is a littlt, "fuzzy." I was wondering if anybody out there might be able to fill me in on some of the basics (ie, reality or fiction, approx. A/C & fuel costs, req. documents, etc..). Any help you might be able to offer would be greatly appreciated!!!

Are you a DoD employee in some fashion?

There used to be Aeroclubs at a few bases overseas... RAF LAkenheath in the UK and Ramstien AB in Germany as I recall.

I believe those are gone...A search on google for AF MWR Aero Clubs should turn up a listing or so...

From what I can recall most of them are in Asia....

-LAFF

Coleman Aero Club, Coleman barracks, Mannheim Germany
DSN 382-4103
http://www.colemanaeroclub-online.org/

I start next month....

Hey Herk...which model are you on? I'm new to the forum...but it's nice to see more 130 crew on here. Been a loadie on the J and now H. Don't ask why I switched.

The J, huh? ..and I gotta ask...

Nope I could never be that lucky, I flew on the red tail C-130H3s at LRAFB, FCC is my REAL job. I PCSd a year ago here to Ramstein and sewed on Tech, they gave me a desk to fly. I've been in a downward spiral ever since....lol.

Very cool, and congrats on tech. And yes, I'd be in a downward spiral too if they made me fly a desk...the disadvantages of rank I suppose.

The J model is an okay bird, still a lot of kinks in it...but that's normal with any new bird. Definitely nice overall. I wont mention which unit, but when the issue of my height came up...they weren't willing to push for a height waiver. So they had sent me to all this training, only for someone to catch that I was 1/2 inch too short for military aircrew. They were going to send me to being a crew chief, as I crewed F-16/A-10's prior to going aircrew...so I started contacting units around the area that had openings...and some were hurting for people so bad and had zero problems putting me in for a height waiver. Took 4 weeks, and another unit gained me as a LM.

When I was TDY to Baltimore for Pheonix Banner back on '04, I poked around the ANG hangar there and found a J model inside, still can't get over the whole "composite" prop thing but overall it's still a Herk. I'll still catch a ride on a Herk before anything else these days...


Long live the four fans of freedom.

:-D Baltimore is where I used to be. Good ole Martin State. It is weird seeing the extra 2 blades, but still a nice bird minus the newbie kinks in some systems. Your right...the herk is a workhorse, and will always be my choice of ride. Although the G'master is a close second.