GA for holiday travel

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UngaWunga

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UngaWunga
I would like to fly down to the DC area for thanksgiving to visit the folks. Would much rather fly our plane than an airline, but I'm not IFR rated and I can't predict the weather that far out. So, looking to book airline tickets as a backup. Yes, I know, don't fly GA if you have to be there at a specific date/time. :rolleyes:

Can anyone recommend an airline that has a good cancellation policy? United sucks, so does AA. Both charge hefty fees to changes. So does Jetblue. Southwest lets you cancel without a fee, and like the other airlines, you then have a year to use that credit or you lose it. But Southwest is almost double the other airlines in ticket prices.

Suggestions on airlines to check?
 
Where are you flying from?

With Southwest, make sure you are looking at the (cheaper) Wanna Get Away fare rather than the Anytime fare. Wanna Get Away you can get the credit for 12 months while the Anytime is fully refundable.
 
When i used to fly commercial, Delta was the "go to" airline. Based in Atlanta it was better for us and Delta always gave us good service. I have no idea about current fees or cancellations. You dont say where you are but have you thought about the train? Trip may be much more fun but slower, of course.
Good luck on your trip.
 
UngaWunga said:
I would like to fly down to the DC area for thanksgiving to visit the folks. Would much rather fly our plane than an airline, but I'm not IFR rated and I can't predict the weather that far out. So, looking to book airline tickets as a backup. Yes, I know, don't fly GA if you have to be there at a specific date/time. :rolleyes:

Can anyone recommend an airline that has a good cancellation policy? United sucks, so does AA. Both charge hefty fees to changes. So does Jetblue. Southwest lets you cancel without a fee, and like the other airlines, you then have a year to use that credit or you lose it. But Southwest is almost double the other airlines in ticket prices.

Suggestions on airlines to check?
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We always try to fly virgin, they have been very understanding and accommodating in the past.


Also be sure to get all your security theatre training and paperwork in order if you're going to fly into that area.
 
UngaWunga said:
I would like to fly down to the DC area for thanksgiving to visit the folks. Would much rather fly our plane than an airline, but I'm not IFR rated and I can't predict the weather that far out. So, looking to book airline tickets as a backup. Yes, I know, don't fly GA if you have to be there at a specific date/time. :rolleyes:

Can anyone recommend an airline that has a good cancellation policy? United sucks, so does AA. Both charge hefty fees to changes. So does Jetblue. Southwest lets you cancel without a fee, and like the other airlines, you then have a year to use that credit or you lose it. But Southwest is almost double the other airlines in ticket prices.

Suggestions on airlines to check?
Click to expand...

Southwest serves all three airports in the Wash Metro area. Did you check all three? They tend to be competitive here.
 
UngaWunga said:
Yes, I know, don't fly GA if you have to be there at a specific date/time. :rolleyes:
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Funny, I fly GA because that's what (almost) always gets me there on my schedule when nothing else can.
 
I would never fly yourself in that situation. In fact, depending on exactly where you are coming from, I would probably drive (leaving at a time to avoid traffic).

Commercial travel is great for 500+ miles. Private is great regardless if you are on no time schedule whatsoever.
 
Good choice on going commercial,the DC area can be tough,when the weather doesn't co operate .Alson can be a long ride depending on what GA field you land at.
 
Kritchlow said:
I would never fly yourself in that situation. In fact, depending on exactly where you are coming from, I would probably drive (leaving at a time to avoid traffic).

Commercial travel is great for 500+ miles. Private is great regardless if you are on no time schedule whatsoever.
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Jeeze, why even get your license if you would not use it for a trip like this? What if it is severe VFR on Thanksgiving? I think as long as you have an out (driving, flying commercial as the OP suggests) you should totally fly!

Flying for a purpose (getting somewhere) is so much more rewarding than $100 hamburger runs and training flights. It is why most people get their license.

GA is for people with a flexible schedule, not a person with no time schedule whatsoever.
 
That. I bought the plane to use it, not to sit in a hanger and look pretty, telling people I own a plane. I'll double check SW, but we'll either be flying from BOS or MHT to DCA. MHT is preferred since BOS just plain sucks.

I'll check Delta as well.
 
Fearless Tower said:
That depends greatly on the capabilities of the aircraft and pilot.
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Yup, aircraft, pilot and the trip.

For some instances GA makes super sense, other times it's best to leave it in the hangar.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Yeah, but you are instrument rated and have full de-ice. That helps ALOT!
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Yep, that helps! ;)

However people on here are quick to point out that GA isn't for those on a schedule. I like to remind folks that it can be, as we all should. That's why many people buy airplanes in the first place. Obviously not a 172.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Yep, that helps! ;)

However people on here are quick to point out that GA isn't for those on a schedule. I like to remind folks that it can be, as we all should. That's why many people buy airplanes in the first place. Obviously not a 172.
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Hey! :nono:
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Yep, that helps! ;)

However people on here are quick to point out that GA isn't for those on a schedule. I like to remind folks that it can be, as we all should. That's why many people buy airplanes in the first place. Obviously not a 172.
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Agree!

I've made 4 round trips out to CA/AZ in the last year with the Baron. All where I needed to be at my destination on a given day. Worst I had to do was depart 8-10 hours early to deal with a storm front.

Now obviously if something serious weather or maintenance wise came up, I'd have missed my arrival time......BUT that's NEVER happened on an airline (insert sarcasm here).
 
You could also consider taking a train from Boston. No idea what that costs but you probably wouldn't have to book it that far in advance.
 
neilw2 said:
Jeeze, why even get your license if you would not use it for a trip like this? What if it is severe VFR on Thanksgiving? I think as long as you have an out (driving, flying commercial as the OP suggests) you should totally fly!

Flying for a purpose (getting somewhere) is so much more rewarding than $100 hamburger runs and training flights. It is why most people get their license.

GA is for people with a flexible schedule, not a person with no time schedule whatsoever.
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Well that's pretty much what I'm saying. If you can be flexible it's great. Learning to fly in the Northeast we had to get used to several days of dreary weather. To plan a holiday trip would not have worked, at least not for me. Even if the OP is IR, the Thanksgiving timeframe can easily mean ice in the Northeast.
Severe clear??? Well sure. The problem is can you count on that two weeks ahead of time, and can you be reasonably assured it will stay that way for the return trip?
 
I used to live in CT. . . .and had a vacation home in South Carolina we liked to get away to for the warmer weather if nothing -

I have lots of wx experience - anyone living in NewEngland should have an IFR rating and will shortly get the experience they need. . . .

The SC trip was 696nm but yours is half that - or less. The weather over 300-350nm is variable but not as bad as the shorter distance - in 5 years of traveling to SC 7/8 times a year I NEVER flew an instrument approach into the SC airport that resulted in less than VFR conditions arrival. ALL of my instrument conditions pretty much were north of Norfolk.

That said - weather can get 'stuck' that time of year- with a warm front draping across CT stalled out for 48 hours. Naturally it happened to me one year we were meeting all of the wife's relatives at the house for thanksgiving. Surface temps were 33/34F with a 500' very shallow layer of below freezing with a very moist atmosphere - if I were 500 under gross I would have given it a try given the climb rate of my airplane - but 200 under? Nope.

On to your question - most weather systems in new england are very progressive - meaning 12 hours later - its clear - the only challenge that time of year is wind and then ice. Since you are not IFR rated - layers will not be a problem for you - if youcan be flexible, leaving Tues/Wed or Thu am - you will easily operate GA that time of year -

Similarly, if you can return Sat/Sun or Monday - again, you'll be able to fly.

Remember - you can ALWAYS divert to Amtrak or airlines if the wx crumps down too badly. Don't forget Amtrak and don't forget even amtrak to Boston and then renting a car to where ever you are - GA non-IFR in New England is about options . . .
 
Bill Jennings said:
And bags full of crap weather experience.
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Facebook brought up a memory of mine from 6 years ago, an Aztec flight. Flying home from New Hampshire after dropping off dogs (OVC004 at MHT as I recall), ATC told me "Severe turbulence along your route of flight reported between 10 and 15 thousand, moderate and heavy precipitation on your route of flight for the next 50 miles." I remember hearing a Beech 1900 pilot crying on the radio.

Just another day in the office. I didn't think it was that bad. Altitude matters, I was at 6k. And I was flying a truck.
 
I'll echo what others have said on this thread, as well as another similar one on the Redboard, and that is 1) Have at least a 24-48 hr flex schedule and 2) Get your IR ASAP!

This kind of reminds me of Thanksgiving of 2008 in that I'd had my IR for just 5 weeks, and was flying from Hartford, CT to Patomic, MD to see my family for the holiday.

The flight down was uneventful, except for a bit of ice I picked up going through a layer (bases 4500 tops 7000)......

But the flight back was something to remember and something that was FUN.

That sunday, there was a classic weather system set up with a low and a warmfront extending to the N and NE with precip ahead of the low.

In Wash DC where I was, around 10 AM, the OAT was +8 on the ground with the freezing level to the moon. Around 9,000 if I remember correctly.

But once N of NYC or so, the freezing level dropped off like a cliff right to the surface with freezing rain in most of CT. I knew that I could make it part of the way, but the forecast was calling for the warm air advection, ahead of the warm front, to eventually change evenything to plain rain at my destination.

Finally around 6:00 that evening, after it had been dark quite a while, the ZR shot up to around 8000' over my destination, with it at 9-10K along most of my route.

I departed Mongtomery, MD on rwy 10, around 6:30 that night into just a 300' ceiling, below the minimums for that field, but with BWI just 10 NM away with plenty of ILS's.

After keeping me at just 2000 under the BWI traffic, they gave me 7000 on course where I had moderate rain for most of the flight in solid IMC. OAT was +6 which was higher than I'd have thought.

Even though it was LIFR all around me, I could still see the nights of NYC try to penertate the clouds.

When I flew the LDA 2 approach into HFD, the OAT dropped to just +1 from about 1000-1500' and I broke out at just 450' (50' above the MDA) and landed uneventfully.

No pics or video since it all took place at night, but it was definitely one of my more memorable flights!
 
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