Living arrangements for API/Primary

[totorunner]

Hey all,

I am PCS'ing into the area in May and am still trying to figure out what I should do as far as WHERE to live. It seems as though I may be over at NASP for awhile being that there is a wait of about 4 months to class up for API. Plus, I have to do IFS aswell. So when all that is said and done that would put me at about 6 months at NASP before heading to Whiting for primary. Is this rumor true for us Coasties aswell?

Basically, I'm trying to decide if I should find a place in the NE Pen area or get something down by NASP for awhile and try to get like a 6 month lease on a house. Then I could just move up towards Milton for primary.

 

[Uncle Fester]

So, are you a Coastie? They operate under slightly different rules than most of us around here. I'd advise contacting the flight training liaison guys and see what the current SOP are.

That said - if you're going to Whiting for Primary - it's really up to you and how far you want to commute. What's your living situation (Single? Married? Married w/ ankle-biters?) Living closer to NASWF will make your life a lot easier when you're in Primary... a 20-min commute vs a 60-min commute will make a big difference to you when you're looking at 0500 briefs or going home from a night flight at midnight. But the further you are from Pensacola, the less there is to do.

A lot of people go for something around the airport because of that "split the difference" philosophy, but API will be a very small portion of your time compared to Primary. And you could easily wind up spending over a year at Whiting if you stick around for the HT's.

 

[porw0004]

Shoot.. less to do? What are you talking about? The return of the Milton Scratch-Ankle festival was AWESOME.

I'm in IFS right now with a few Coast Guard who live in Milton, so at least some felt it was worth it.

 

[totorunner]

Yea I've been in touch with CGLO and they said I could live where ever I think is suitable for me. My living situation is going to be one roommate who is also going to flight school and my 70lb boxer. Therefore, I need a house so the dog can have some room to run when I'm not home. Not sure how long the days are at API, primary,etc.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Days in API will run pretty long (0630-1500-ish), but that's for a few weeks. Your days in Primary won't run as long (mostly) but you'll be doing it for many months.

IMO, you should orient your living arrangements around Whiting and suck up a few weeks of a longer drive in.

 

[nittany03]

Yeah, bottom line, find someplace you're comfortable commuting to Whiting from with a 0500 arrival time. And the aforementioned API times. Or live close to both, and suck up the move expenses at the end of API because the government won't reimburse. If you minimize furniture and mooch off of roommates, it's doable, but not if you have a bunch of stuff.

 

[Godspeed]

bottom line, find someplace you're comfortable commuting to Whiting from with a 0500 arrival time.

If I lived in the briefing room I don't think i'd be comfortable with a 0500.

A good place to live (IMHO) between the two, is Governor's Gate Apartments. They have Phase one and Phase II apts... Basically, Phase II apts are nicer (crown molding, 10+ foot ceilings, big ole jacuzzi tubs) but cost more. It's right near highway 10.. Hop on and Whiting is I think about 30 min away if I recall correctly... Also it takes about 30 min to get to NASP with the traffic. It's a good split between the two.

 

[totorunner]

Yea I guess I'm just going to make the split then. Something in the NE pcola area around I-10 or possibly the Avalon Beach area. Theres a bunch of nice places over there!