Columbus AFB

[Viggen 643]

I found out today that I was accepted into Civil Air Patrol's Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Familiarization Course. It's being held at Columbus and some other AETC base in Texas. I'm opting to go to the one at Columbus. So, even though I'll be there for only a little while, what's Columbus like?!

[Glock Holiday 0]

I found out today that I was accepted into Civil Air Patrol's Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Familiarization Course. It's being held at Columbus and some other AETC base in Texas. I'm opting to go to the one at Columbus. So, even though I'll be there for only a little while, what's Columbus like?!

 

This site is very good. I'm an civilian aircraft mechanic at a USAF pilot training base in Oklahoma.

 

http://www.baseops.net/militarypilot/

[+Typhoid 231]

back when I was flying the E-4B (over 20 yrs ago) we pulled a couple of alert tours there billeted in the CAP bunkers next to the parked aircraft.

 

interesting place.......

 

hot, soggy, mosquitos, etc.......

 

what details exactly are you asking about?

 

great airfield.

[FastCargo 412]

Viggy,

 

You're a wuss...ya should have opted for Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, TX. That's where manly men go to pilot training...

 

 

Anyway, Typhoid has the gist of it...

 

During the summer, they can get quite thick with buildups which can make flying challenging. A running joke is that there is close formation (fingertip), and then there's the 'Columbus tuck'...closer than fingertip...how close can depend on who you're asking.

 

Weather-wise, typical southern Mississippi bordering state...hot and steamy...the air feels thick enough to cut with a knife during the summer.

 

The town itself from what I understand is quite small...Memphis is a significant drive away. So, cosmopolitian it isn't. Otherwise, from what I understand, it's about like any other AETC pilot training base...lots of brown and tan paint.

 

I've only stopped in there a few times for a gas and go (there's a story with one...but that's for another time). I've never RON'd there...but I got a good bud who used to be an IP there. I'll chat him up next time I talk to him about the place. Also, a lot of part time AETC IPs at my company work there.

 

FC

[Vampyre 24]

and some other AETC base in Texas.

 

What other bases in Texas? Randolph, Laughlin or Sheppard. My brother was stationed at Sheppard for school and if you want to see a lot of different types of planes that is the place to go. I used to live 10 minutes from Randolph directly under the long final. I saw T-37's and T-38's all day long and the odd RF-4C from Bergstrom shooting approaches. I think I just dated myself...

Edited March 11, 2009 by Vampyre

[FastCargo 412]

This site is very good. I'm an civilian aircraft mechanic at a USAF pilot training base in Oklahoma.

 

http://www.baseops.net/militarypilot/

 

Not like we have a whole lotta SUPT bases in OK to choose from

 

Viggy, you also mentioned another base in TX? Well, if it's near San Antonio, come on down...just let me know when you're in town and I'll make sure you're treated real nice...

 

Nah, just kiddin. Seriously, if you end up at that base near San Antonio, let me know and I'll see if there is anything else I can help ya with.

 

FC

[+Dave 2,322]

What other bases in Texas? Randolph, Laughlin or Sheppard. My brother was stationed at Sheppard for school and if you want to see a lot of different types of planes that is the place to go. I used to live 10 minutes from Randolph directly under the long final. I saw T-37's and T-38's all day long and the odd RF-4C from Bergstrom shooting approaches. I think I just dated myself...

 

When did he go to Sheppard for school? What career field?

[Viggen 643]

I think the base was Laughlin. But seeing as how I was accepted to the course at both bases, I'm not sure which to do.

 

If I'm one of the top cadets at the course I get a flight in a T-1...*sigh*...do CAP and USAF not trust a teenage cadet with a T-38? They trust me with Cessnas!

[+Jug 99]

I found out today that I was accepted into Civil Air Patrol's Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Familiarization Course. It's being held at Columbus and some other AETC base in Texas. I'm opting to go to the one at Columbus. So, even though I'll be there for only a little while, what's Columbus like?!

I graduated from USAF undergraduate pilot training at Columbus and then spent three and a half years there as an instructor pilot in the T-37 and class commander in the 70s. Sleepy southern town of around 40K with a whole "passle" of good looking chicks as MSCW (or whatever it is called now). Probably hasn't changed a lot since I was there. Don't know how it is organized for your program, but I am sure you will get a professional introduction to the flying business. Don't miss going out to eat at one of the Catfish houses around the base. Gooooooooood food! Get used to fried food. Everything is fried in the south including your skin (read that it is hot there). Beware of the Greenville thunderstorms. During the summer and early fall, you can watch them grow starting around 1100 hours and they start to move toward the base right about 1500 hours. They tend to plaster the base for about an hour and then sun comes out and it hot and wet. Good time for the bar call (used to be called happy hour, but I hear that is not PC anymore).

 

Interesting place on base is Blase Hall, named after the unknown soldier from Viet Nam, whose remains were finally identified by the Military lab boys and girls in Hawaii. Bill was in the pilot training class ahead of me and, though I didn't know him well, he seemed to be a quiet, nice guy. He was killed attacking a 57mm AA site in an A-37 in 1972. I attended the ceremony dedicating the building.

 

If you want some fun, try taking on a 57 mm AA site in WoV with an A-37. You almost always lose. There is a lesson in there somewhere.

 

Best of luck in your school and tour. Don't forget to let us know how you are doing.