New Space A Traveler!!!

Author Message   Bob radar Intermediate Member Username: Bob_radar Post Number: 115 Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 162.58.82.136 Posted on Monday, May 24, 2010 - 08:30 pm:    I also like to keep vacc / immun shots updated like tetanus, hepatitus, pnuemo for over 65 and etc.   Earl Senior Member Username: Myramstein Post Number: 760 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 173.99.9.239 Posted on Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 03:28 am:    Thomas, “border docs” means that you have a up to date passport and/or required visa(s), or other documentation to enter/exit a country/countries you plan on flying space-a to. Normally for space-a retired this means current passport/visa(s) ((if visa required)). This also means that your passport will not expire when visiting a country and your passport has, in most cases, at least 6 months on it till it expires. May vary from country to country. But for EU, your passport should be valid for 6 months when entering EU countries. Bottom line: Check "yes" for border docs if you have passport and it is up to date with required visa(s) to where you want to travel to. When in doubt call pax rep or check State Department web page for foreign travel requirements.   Thomas F Parris New member Username: Tomick70 Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2010 Posted From: 97.104.220.73 Posted on Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 02:43 am:    Can you tell me what "Border Docs" are specfically? In signing up, the question is asked if Border Docs are current yes/no. I presume this is something in addition to a passport? Thanks for your reply.   bill curts Intermediate Member Username: Bill Post Number: 98 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.236.53.198 Posted on Monday, May 17, 2010 - 02:52 pm:    Brandon- I would recommend you check frequently with Pt. Mugu. I was there in february and there are quite a few flights going eastward. It is not space-a friendly(long distances) but being on active duty I'm sure you can walk wherever you need to go. I walked from the motel on the beach to the main gate to pick up a rental car from Avis and I am 76.The pax reps there are very friendly and will help all they can. Good luck.   Brandon J Hurley New member Username: Bhurley Post Number: 4 Registered: 05-2010 Posted From: 152.121.19.11 Posted on Sunday, May 16, 2010 - 07:50 pm:    Thanks James!. I actually thought of that but i was stationed there last year so i have a few friends to see and/or stay with if need be. I dont mind driving to North Island.   James A. Brosman Advanced Member Username: Airborne Post Number: 175 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 67.174.146.58 Posted on Sunday, May 16, 2010 - 07:20 pm:    Brandon, there is always a chance of a flight from Pt Mugu/Hueneme down to North Island NAS in San Diego. From there try for a flight to Norfolk. Just keep your luggage to 30 pounds or less.   Brandon J Hurley New member Username: Bhurley Post Number: 2 Registered: 05-2010 Posted From: 152.121.19.11 Posted on Sunday, May 16, 2010 - 06:11 pm:    Thanks to everyone that posted..i actually like the idea that Cherry C gave about the rental car. One more question, on average for connecting flights, what is the wait in hours or days that i can expect, to get to Charleston Andrews etc.? Thanks again!!!   Dan Gonzalez Member Username: Dang Post Number: 10 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 67.181.3.156 Posted on Sunday, May 16, 2010 - 04:43 pm:    Brandon, You can check the with Charleston, they always have flights to Pope. But like John says, flying out of travis is your best bet to get to Charleston or even to Andrews. From there you can get to Pope. happy travels   David Haynes Advanced Member Username: Oldcutterman Post Number: 207 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 71.0.55.122 Posted on Sunday, May 16, 2010 - 12:51 pm:    Brandon: Welcome. As usual, Cherry C. gives good advice. There are flights to Pope quite often so do give up on it. Watch the flights as shown on this site's pages and you can develope a plan. Your plan to fly back on commercial is good as you will be in the begining of space-a busy season when it is common for cat 111,s to not make flights. Good luck. David Haynes   Cherry C. Senior Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 6353 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 71.163.18.160 Posted on Sunday, May 16, 2010 - 10:39 am:    John Garrison's advice (and 'warnings') are right on, but if you are determined to try space-a for the outbound leg of your trip, your best bet probably will be to fly from Travis AFB to Andrews AFB in suburban Maryland and rent a car one-way to Pope AFB in North Carolina, just down the road via I-95, OR try for a Navy flight to Norfolk from North Island NAS with a similar rental car to get you to your ultimate destination. You could actually arrange to return the rental car to whatever commercial airport you are flying from on the homebound leg -- research Washington Dulles and others in the general area to see what lower-cost airlines (like Jet Blue or Southwest) fly from them to some airport near your final goal, and make your reservation far enough in advance to get a good online fare. Actually, once you do that research you may see that the cost of a flight both ways will actually be less than your possible expenses if y ou do try to go via space-a -- these can involve lodging, food, and other necessary expenditures while you wait (and wait, and wait?) for a flight going in your desired direction, not to mention the costs AND TIME required to get from wherever you land to your ultimate destination.   John R Garrison Senior Member Username: Majorg Post Number: 2614 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 208.81.157.86 Posted on Sunday, May 16, 2010 - 04:32 am:    Brandon: Welcome to the Board! If you have not yet done so, please familiarize yourself with JohnD's SpaceA Pages (link top left), the general layout of this site and the Search Function (magnifying glass at top center) of this site. Nearly all questions can be answered from those three sources. Having read thru the FAQs is a great start and I would suggest reading thru the other sections on JohnD's site as well. Pope is not an easy base to access directly from the West Coast. If you are on a tight schedule, you should probably fly commercial both ways. SpaceA works out best for those who have flexibility in their schedules. Tight schedules can result in loss of leave time (in your case waiting for your first hop while on leave...as well as burning leave at intermediate stops) and heavy expenses (last minute commercial air fare for example). Summer (15 May to 15 Sep) is the most challanging time for SPATS to fly. Happy travels, John   Brandon J Hurley New member Username: Bhurley Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2010 Posted From: 152.121.19.11 Posted on Sunday, May 16, 2010 - 02:53 am:    I am sure you have all seen this post time and time before, however I need some help understanding this stuff. I am trying to Fly from CA to POPE AFB North Carolina, On or around 01JUN10. I plan to fly commercial back to avoid the chance of being AWOL!!. I am stationed in Oxnard CA, 45 minutes north of LA. Any suggestions of which AFb to fly from and how to find out where the flights connect, eventually landing in NC.....that was a mouth full. Thanks for anything!!