T-6's & T-1's parked at GTR

Skillet

Well-Known Member
I was in GTR this past Friday & Saturday and noticed some T-6's and T-1's parked on the FBO ramp. Just curious as to why they were parked there and not over at Columbus AFB where they are based - no biggie just wondering.
 
I was in GTR this past Friday & Saturday and noticed some T-6's and T-1's parked on the FBO ramp. Just curious as to why they were parked there and not over at Columbus AFB where they are based - no biggie just wondering.

Most likely for weekend ops. On the Navy side, we often use the local civvie field for weekend ops when the NAS is closed.
 
That's exactly it. We use GTR on the weekends a LOT. Columbus tower and approach control is only open for a short window on Sunday, and not at all on Saturday. Using GTR allows the flying squadrons to still do "local" sorties (provided we issue a NOTAM about a week or two in advance to keep the MOA's open), but not have to bring in the whole base. It's a pain in the tail, because it means working all week, then working the whole weekend, and then working all week again with no days off. So we try not to do it very much, but sometimes we get behind and its the only way to get the students graduated on time.
It also allows instructors to do weekend flying, and still get home to the wife and kids at night as opposed to the traditional cross country weekend (that we also do a lot) where you and the student take a trip for the whole weekend to some far away (relatively) destination. So you wind up flying the student's cross country requirements as out and back sorties instead of overnights.
 
Thanks for the answers guys. The T-6 looks like a pretty fun ride - thanks for your service and fly safe!
 
Thanks for the answers guys. The T-6 looks like a pretty fun ride - thanks for your service and fly safe!

Thanks. You fly safe too.

As for the T-6, it is a blast, although I think I actually liked the tweet a little better. Either way, I'm gonna miss this plane when I go back to flying tankers in two weeks.
 
Out to Altus for training, then back to the tanker out of McConnell (Witchita, KS). Looking forward to it, but I'm going to really miss this job.
 
Out to Altus for training, then back to the tanker out of McConnell (Witchita, KS). Looking forward to it, but I'm going to really miss this job.

Grand Forks still a tanker wing? Or were they BRACd?
 
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