Photo By Tech. Sgt. Victoria Nelson | The newly renovated Pease Air Terminal supported the first KC-46 Space-Available...... read more read more
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PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.H. -- Space-available flights are up and running at Pease Air National Guard Base after a three-year hiatus during the base’s aircraft conversion to the KC-46 and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Space-A passenger transportation utilizes any remaining aircraft seats on missions flying out of Pease with alternative destinations. The seats are made available to eligible passengers provided all space-required passengers and cargo have been accommodated.
“Most of the people on this base are eligible to fly space-A,” said Tech. Sgt. Andrew Poole, a member of the small air terminal with the 157th Logistics Readiness Squadron.
Eligible passengers include all active duty service members and their dependents, technicians and drill-status guardsmen, and retired or medically discharged service members.
To get started, members must fill out the contact form at the bottom of the 157th Air Refueling Wing Space-A webpage. There is also an option to print the Air Mobility Command Form 140, Space-A Travel Request, and email it to the e-mailbox listed below the link to the form.
“Once they complete the contact form we put their name in the registry and it is good for 60 days,” said Poole. “After that 60 days is expired, they just fill out the form again.”
The next step is to look for flights posted in the 72-schedule on the space-A webpage. A roll-call time is displayed next to each option. If a member with a completed contact form sees a flight that interests them, they are encouraged to show up at the Pease small air terminal in building 252 no later than the designated show time.
Similar to stand-by operations, members must be present at the time of roll-call to make the flight.
“If there are less people than the number of seats available then everyone makes the flight,” said Master Sgt. Andrew Norton, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the air transportation function with the 157th Logistics Readiness Squadron. “If more people show up than seats available, a selection process begins.”
Active duty has the highest priority, then the members who signed up first within the past 60 days.
Poole explained this is one of the few ways the program is more similar to active duty space-A travel than in the past.
“Another thing that’s different from when we flew space-A with the KC-135 is our focus on getting people back from their destination,” said Poole. “Now like active duty, if you go to Key West you have to sign up for Key West’s space-A and do the same process on the return flight.”
“We always make sure to tell people they must be able to afford a commercial flight home in case there are no flights back,” he added.
The final steps of the process are passing through the security checkpoint and boarding the plane.
Passengers are allowed two bags weighing a maximum of 72 pounds and no larger than 62 linear inches. Service members are also allowed to bring a U.S. military-issued green duffle bag that can weigh a maximum of 100 pounds.
“We use normal TSA procedures so the process is similar to any airport,” said Poole. “The seats in the KC-46 are also more comfortable. Instead of flying in the web seats on the side of the 135, there are now seat kits that feel just like flying commercial.”
The first KC-46 space-A flight took off from Pease Aug. 22 carrying two passengers to Key West, Florida.
“We are excited to have space-A back up and running,” said Master Sgt. Timothy Dupuis, the small air terminal supervisor with the 157th Logistics Readiness Squadron. “It’s really nice to be able to provide this benefit to our retirees and service members. It’s so cool seeing people look forward to flying again.”
Pease ANGB Space Available Travel: https://www.157arw.ang.af.mil/Space-A-Travel/
| Date Taken: | 08.31.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 08.31.2022 15:06 |
| Story ID: | 428426 |
| Location: | PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, US |
| Web Views: | 868 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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