Safety School (Albuquerque, AMIC)

[zrooster99]

Has anyone been through the FSO course recently?

How recent? I went in Jan. Where are you flying 17s at?

[Ram]

I was there last summer.

The new lodging is nice, but the rooms are SMALL (think "Red Roof" sized). Instead, call and ask for one of the old rooms. While I was there, I had a large bedroom (alone it was the size of the "new" rooms), a large bathroom, and my own "sitting room" with a desk/dry bar/TV. Having the two areas was really nice, and I didn't feel crowded at all. It was pretty much a studio-ish apartment (without the kitchen).

The drawback of the older VOQs is that the only internet (last year, at least) is via Modem. You can take your laptop down to the main office (5 minute walk tops) and surf from there in the lounge, so it's not a big deal. Also, you won't have a full kitchen to use like the newer dorms have. But hey...who wants to share a kitchen with all the crusty old majors who decide to bring the frau/rug rats anyway? Not this guy.

I did AMIC and I'm glad I had that little piece of gouge about the rooms. Made my stay much more comfortable, and I'll bet that 30 days in the tiny rooms would suck kinda hard.

As far as recreation, go to Kelly's (beer), then on to the bar district down the street. Lots of eye candy to be had (especially if you go to a place called "The Library." Trust me, it's not nearly as boring as it sounds.)

If you're going to hike (which is great with the mountains), hit the Sandia Crest. An old TWA dual engine prop crashed on the mountain back in the 40s or 50s in bad weather, and it's so high up that they just left most of the wreckage there (after getting the bodies out, of course). It's an all-day thing, but it's a great hike if the weather is good. Google it. You'll climb from about 4500' to over 8500', so bring a shitload of water, a lunch, and some comfy hiking shoes. It's not too hard by any means, but it's doable for just about anyone with a good ticker.

[stract]

So, I did a search for FSO but it didn't return any results; I guess there's a three-letter gremlin. Didn't get any meaningful results from "Flight safety officer" either.

Getting to the point, I'm going to FSO at KIKR in mid-Feb, just wondering if there are any tips or hints out there from recent experience. Know that I go to KIKR often, as it's the helo schoolhouse, so I'm familiar with the area and lodging and all that.

One thing I'm curious about, though, are rooms space blocked for FSO, or do I stand a chance getting off base? Are the blues on Mon mandates applicable there? All I've been able to find just says BDUs or Flight suits are appropriate. What is a typical day like? Will I have weekends to go off and explore other areas of the state?

[stract]

Are the blues on Mon mandates applicable there? All I've been able to find in the reporting instructions just says BDUs or Flight suits are appropriate. What is a typical day like? Will I have weekends to go off and explore other areas of the state?

seriously, has anyone been to FSO since the new blues policy came out or have knowledge here? Do we have to wear blues on Mondays while we're TDY for that course? Leaving in 2 ish weeks so I'd like to get an answer...

[Herkreservist]

seriously, has anyone been to FSO since the new blues policy came out or have knowledge here? Do we have to wear blues on Mondays while we're TDY for that course? Leaving in 2 ish weeks so I'd like to get an answer...

Stract, how was FSO course? I am leaving in a few weeks and have the same questions you had, do I need to bring Blues, how much work is required, etc. Anything you wish you would have known in advance?Thanks!

[stract]

yes bring blues. Not much work required, took me about an hour to type out my article at most. Day goes from 0800-1600 then have a good time out on the town...I had a good time and found a lot of the information to be interesting. Not so much the metallurgic analysis, tho.

[Butters]

yes bring blues. Not much work required, took me about an hour to type out my article at most. Day goes from 0800-1600 then have a good time out on the town...I had a good time and found a lot of the information to be interesting. Not so much the metallurgic analysis, tho.

Is that 800 year old dude still teaching Metals?

[stract]

no, it's another dude, who spent no shit 30 minutes going over his resume with us.

[matmacwc]

I'm supposed to be there in July, bringing the wifey and kid. Is there at least a kitchenette in the rooms?

[stract]

negatory. Some of the buildings have a community kitchen in the basement. I was in the "new" building 22018 and the stove/oven was not usable due to fire code issues...so it may be the same in the other buildings as well. FYI, they (Lodging) aren't very friendly to having kids in the rooms due to the high number of aircrew there with crew rest issues. My class had a lot of feedback for Lodging on that one, so I recommend e-mailing the Safety School folks ASAP to get the ball rolling. Or, refuse lodging and find a place off base that the $39 a day (lodging cost) will cover (like Southwest Suites). They won't give you a non-A since it's an AETC/AFIT funded school blah blah blah.

Edited May 16, 2009 by stract

[BigFreddie]

I'm supposed to be there in July, bringing the wifey and kid. Is there at least a kitchenette in the rooms?

I've got a July date as well...

Anything else to watch out for in ABQ?

BF

[stract]

drunk drivers, high crime south of I-40...

[matmacwc]

Well, wifey and kids are not coming to ABQ with me, TLF's are fvcked due to some contracting screw up and furnished apartments are expensive! I'll be there Sunday (July 5th) night, a good bud of mine will be at the course as well. I guess blues on Monday? Better dig them out of the attic.

[stract]

yes, blues Monday applies at Safety School unless you have crash lab that day.

[Whitman]

Anyone been to safety school lately? I'm doing the FSO course in January and wondering what the lodging situation. Is it still good gouge to request the old rooms? Has anyone skied Sipapu? AD Military ski free!

https://www.sipapunm.com/index.php?option=com_lodge_management&task=special_detail&id=16&startdate=&enddate=&Itemid=71

[Coasta]

I was there in January for AMIC and March for ASPM. No blues. Decent internet in the roomy old rooms--porn-surfin' worthy. The smaller new rooms had shitty internet and a community kitchen which isn't bad if everyone decides to drink 40's and watch the Hangover in lieu of doing "homework" then proceed to quote the Hangover for the rest of the week (it's just came out on bootleg DVD at the time). They're gonna tell you that ABQ is dangerous, but it's all relative--you know who to avoid ("bros" who bring their wives to AMIC, females who don't act like the whore you are, and Coasties--fair game for everything else). If it rains, have an offroad challenge on the way to the crash lab using excessive emergency brake around turns. Mock your classmates who got stuck, for you will get free donughts. The class is fun.

[contraildash]

Anyone been to safety school lately? I'm doing the FSO course in January and wondering what the lodging situation. Is it still good gouge to request the old rooms? Has anyone skied Sipapu? AD Military ski free!

https://www.sipapunm.com/index.php?option=com_lodge_management&task=special_detail&id=16&startdate=&enddate=&Itemid=71

That place is an easy drive from ABQ. There's also a place on the backside of the mountain that overlooks ABQ. When I was there in April, we were told that they had good deals for AD military but were SOL because they had closed for the season. Taos, and the ski areas around there aren't all that far either. This coming from the guy who'd drive home to C-Springs on the weekends, so it's all relative I guess.

[Learjetter]

Anyone been to safety school lately? I'm doing the FSO course in January and wondering what the lodging situation. Is it still good gouge to request the old rooms? Has anyone skied Sipapu? AD Military ski free!

https://www.sipapunm.com/index.php?option=com_lodge_management&task=special_detail&id=16&startdate=&enddate=&Itemid=71

Highly recommend Wolf Creek just east of Pagosa Springs CO for weekend skiing. 4+ hour drive from ABQ, but worth every minute. Spent 4 weekends there during AMIC.

[LockheedFix]

FWIW, I thought the skiing at Sandia Peak back in March was pretty damn good...the even ended up staying open three weeks later than expected because the snow was so good. It's about 30 min from ABQ.

[barney]

!!!Thread Revival!!!

Sort of.

I will be here in ABQ for a few months. I need to know the hook up on a 4 month golf membership. The base course does not have a student rate (something like LRF). Anyway, I know there are allot of good courses around here and have researched a few but was wondering who has already done their homework. Any thing helps.

Thanks,

Barney

[sky_king]

Just found out I may be going to the AMIC course later this year. What's the difference between AMIC and IFSO? Also, any new gouge on the course or local living conditions? The course sounds fun.

[Spinner]

AMIC is fun, field trip to the crash lab. IFSO makes you want to gouge your eyes out.

[ThreeHoler]

AMIC is all the investigation stuff. FSO is the investigation and safety program management course.

I never considered going to the crash lab fun. The last people to fly most of those wrecks died in them.

[stract]

FSO is no longer offered. IFSO (International FSO) is for foreign military students. AMIC+ASPM= what FSO used to be. So if you are just going to AMIC, then you won't get the program management aspect. ASPM is only a week long, so you should see if there's one conveniently aligned with your AMIC class so you just roll from one straight into the other, then you get the S prefix.

[sky_king]

Cool. Thanks for the info.