Flying over an Air Force base... Randolph in San Antonio

N2124v

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N2124V
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Ok, here is my question. Route of VFR flight takes me directly over an AFB. There is an MOA and class d airspace (shown in picture). I am assuming that transitioning through the area while talking to The appropriate controllers will happen, or am I going to get sent all over creation. Any locals with first hand knowledge? Thanks!
 
Ok, here is my question. Route of VFR flight takes me directly over an AFB. There is an MOA and class d airspace (shown in picture). I am assuming that transitioning through the area while talking to The appropriate controllers will happen, or am I going to get sent all over creation. Any locals with first hand knowledge? Thanks!

How high?

When I lived in San Antonio approach would usually vector folks away from Randolph. I think there were only a couple of times that I was able to fly over. If you're high enough, it shouldn't be an issue, though. A lot of jet training traffic out of Randolph. Beware of the MARCS arrival to SAT which lies west of Randolph & almost over the interstate.
 
There isn't a MOA over Randolph AFB; it's an Alert Area.
 
Usually you can contact the AFB directly and ask for transit thru the airspace. Depends on the individual base, tho.
 
The vast extent of training occurs during the week. Weekends are pretty sleepy. Small recovery window on Sundays for XC returns. You should be fine as long as you're 4800 or above. If you're trying to split it like that at Class C altitudes during the week, no dice. You'd be cutting right through both -38 and -6 patterns. The alert area is shaped the way it is to give you a picture of the departure corridors (north or south flow depending on what runway direction is in use, winters are a crapshoot, summer it's always south flow) to the areas to the south and west of the greater San Antonio metro. North corridors are mostly the KSAT airline shuffle, the south is all Randolph local departures/arrivals from the MOA.

You'll be vectored south of the field , at least south of I-10. Unlikely they'll vector you between RND and SAT, though they could, again expect north of I-35. Anything inside the interstates it's waay to busy with pattern ops to accommodate non-company traffic...

Just fly 4800 and above and avoid the circus altogether. Won't even have to talk to a soul. Great view as well of the buzzing bee hive down below as well. Have a great flight!
 
I commonly fly over NAS Whidby when going up to the San Juans. They're the ones I'm talking to on flight following. No big deal and they're happy to help out. I'll bet the AF guys are the same way. Have a great flight.
 
I just took off (saturday) from Stinson (KSSF) which is just to the west, on my way back to Okc. I was in contact with San Antonio departure and they vectored me right over the base. I was vfr with flight flowing. Don't know how the weekdays would go though.
 
I was born on McCord AFB. (NOT Madigan). If my birthday is on a weekend I will fly over my exact birthplace at @1500AGL. The McCord controllers are bored on most weekends and I can usually make a turn about a point over the outside aircraft display. Never been a problem. Dave
 
I was listening to Travis Approach yesterday and they cleared a Cessna to transit their airspace so that the pilot's 7 year old son could look at the planes....
 
Thanks for all of the responses. I will let you know how it goes.
 
Usually you can contact the AFB directly and ask for transit thru the airspace. Depends on the individual base, tho.

Yup, Buckley is easy. FE Warren, not so much...
 
I fly over the Little Rock Air Force base all the time without any problems. Now having said that I am always in contact with Little Rock APP/DEP.

I can only think of one time I was told to avoid the airbase because of C-130 training. Every other time nothing is ever said about the transit.
 
I just took off (saturday) from Stinson (KSSF) which is just to the west, on my way back to Okc. I was in contact with San Antonio departure and they vectored me right over the base. I was vfr with flight flowing. Don't know how the weekdays would go though.

Flew there from El Paso in July to Stinson. Could not descend to land until clear of the class D AFB. Was a real pain and was held high by KSAT until in Stinson"s class D space. Departing was also denied transition.
 
Just to be clear, you don't need a clearance to fly through a MOA or over military class D airspace. Depending on the type of activity going on, it might be adviseable to pick up FF through it though.
 
Yup, Buckley is easy. FE Warren, not so much...

Heh... a trip to Sydney, you're over most of Warren... :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:90th_MW_-_Missile_Alert_Facilities.png

An Air Force Base without a runway...

We have a couple of those around here.

http://www.warren.af.mil/
http://www.schriever.af.mil/

Ya gotta love the Zoomies and the Space Cadets... er, I mean, Space Command...

I was surprised to see Ellsworth on the BRAC list until they pulled it back off... Cannon too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_Realignment_and_Closure

I thought Grand Forks made more sense to close than Ellsworth, but then the Global Hawk program moved to Grand Forks and they'll probably be there a while...
 
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