"John" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 25 May 2006 06:57:43 -0500, "John Carrier"
wrote:

Great training base, good for a reserve squadron or two. Location sucks
for
fleet for numerous reasons.
Kingsville is similar, although it has access to a warning area.

What should have happened 15 years ago was to close Meridian and
retain Chase. I spent a total of 11 years at Chase as a student then
IP and later as a contract SIM instructor.

Opinions vary.

Chase was the smallest of the three jet training bases, so had the
lowest facility maintenance costs. Throughout the 70's it had the best
PTR (Pilot Training Rate) - just about 1/2 the time Meridian took to
train a pilot. 10 months average verses 18 months. Kingsville was
averaging 12-13 months then. Even in the 80's the ratios didn't change
much. So why did they close the most efficient base?

One word: Stennis.

BRAC never has been even remotely independent.

Stennis was not a factor. His influence had waned by 1991. Chases
facilities were also in the poorest state of material condition (as related
by T-45 site survey) and would have cost more to upgrade for the new
training system.

I think your time-to-train numbers are suspect. Each trawing coould cherry
pick data (or just plain manipulate it) to demonsltrate "it's best." A
number of factors contribute to production capability. Neither Chase, NASK
nor NASM facilities had/have any particular inherent goodness that would
make them superior.

R / John