Pretty cool ground lesson

[DaleB]

As my wife and I were standing outside the hotel in Houston last weekend, I was watching airliners come down out of the low overcast on final. The humidity was high enough that you could see the wake turbulence coming off the wingtips. I'm guessing the change in air pressure in the vortex caused the moisture in the air to condense. You'd see a darker trail from each wingtip, and you could clearly see the rate at which it sank below the flight path. Pretty cool to watch, you don't get to see that very often. It was a cool, sticky-damp and almost dead calm morning.

Now for the reason we were even there to see it. Flying commercial to get to and from Ft. Lauderdale for a cruise has, I suspect, made my wife just a bit more receptive to the idea of airplane ownership. There were the usual stupid, mindless TSA hassles, extra charges for checking bags, and the fact that the tattered remains of Continental stuck us in Houston for an unplanned night (and of course took NO responsibility for doing so). I pointed out, as we were waiting for the shuttle to take us to the hotel where we would have no clean clothes for the next morning, that if we'd just flown down there ourselves we would have been arriving home right about then. As I have said to myself on every leg of every commercial flight for the past six months, I said again... this is one reason I'm learning to fly, and almost the only reason I'm looking at airplanes. When I tell my wife I've been looking at porn again, she knows it's either controller.com or used piston singles on eBay. Where there is what looks like it may be a killer deal in a Cardinal right now, by the way.

 

[COFlyBoy]

We are heading from Denver to Ft Lauderdaele on Fiday for a cruise too.

We have a plane, and I couldn't convince my wife to go by GA. We have too much history of being stuck somewhere for several days while waiting for GA weather (I even have my IR) or waiting on airplane repairs.

I'll take commercial when I have to be there.

My Dad told me about GA "If you have time to spare, go by air." This was while I was on the phone to him complaining about having to get a magneto rebuilt when 800 miles from home.

 

[DaleB]

Yeah, it's one reason I'm not buying now... I want to get a good handle on what percentage of the time we could or could not expect to get from Point A to Point B and home, without long delays. As a couple who does regular cross-country motorcycle touring, we're used to the idea of getting delayed... the solution there is, our riding season is only a few months out of the year.

 

[MickYoumans]

When I tell my wife I've been looking at porn again, she knows it's either controller.com or used piston singles on eBay. Where there is what looks like it may be a killer deal in a Cardinal right now, by the way.

www.barnstormers.com
This is also a great place for looking at used planes. Barnstormers is where I found my plane. Searching for a plane to buy was a lot of fun. They have a neat way to save airplanes off to your own personal hangar to evaluate.

 

[zaitcev]

I have to join with a warning that the schedule reliablity with GA is not there, unless you're flying a Pilatus or Eclipse with FIKI (and are fully trained for it). Living in Albuquerque, which has a VFR flying weather more than 330 days a year, I permit myself to fly on schedule, but even so I never trust it completely. Too easy to get weathered in or have a major malfunction. Heck even a flat tire on Sunday can ruin your day.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Now for the reason we were even there to see it. Flying commercial to get to and from Ft. Lauderdale for a cruise has,............. Continental stuck us in Houston for an unplanned night

Hey, was just talking about this last night....if you are late for your cruise, just what happens? Ship and 5000 people wait patiently? Cruiseship co pays to helo you out to the boat?
Yeah right. But if you miss the departure (and the Cruise co was arranging your flight there), what happens?

 

[bbchien]

Consider something fast enough to be competitive- Mooney. It was really the speed of that thing that convinced my spouse that GA was going to amount to something useable.

Without the M20J, there would never have been the Seneca II.

 

[AuntPeggy]

As my wife and I were standing outside the hotel in Houston last weekend, I was watching airliners come down out of the low overcast on final. The humidity was high enough that you could see the wake turbulence coming off the wingtips. I'm guessing the change in air pressure in the vortex caused the moisture in the air to condense. You'd see a darker trail from each wingtip, and you could clearly see the rate at which it sank below the flight path. Pretty cool to watch, you don't get to see that very often. It was a cool, sticky-damp and almost dead calm morning.

Now for the reason we were even there to see it. Flying commercial to get to and from Ft. Lauderdale for a cruise has, I suspect, made my wife just a bit more receptive to the idea of airplane ownership. There were the usual stupid, mindless TSA hassles, extra charges for checking bags, and the fact that the tattered remains of Continental stuck us in Houston for an unplanned night (and of course took NO responsibility for doing so). I pointed out, as we were waiting for the shuttle to take us to the hotel where we would have no clean clothes for the next morning, that if we'd just flown down there ourselves we would have been arriving home right about then. As I have said to myself on every leg of every commercial flight for the past six months, I said again... this is one reason I'm learning to fly, and almost the only reason I'm looking at airplanes. When I tell my wife I've been looking at porn again, she knows it's either controller.com or used piston singles on eBay. Where there is what looks like it may be a killer deal in a Cardinal right now, by the way.

Hubby and I had the same thoughts one 3:0am as American Airlines finally decided to cancel our flight, which they had been promising once an hour for at least 10 hours. I'm very glad we made the investment in time and fortune in the education.

We are heading from Denver to Ft Lauderdaele on Fiday for a cruise too.

We have a plane, and I couldn't convince my wife to go by GA. We have too much history of being stuck somewhere for several days while waiting for GA weather (I even have my IR) or waiting on airplane repairs.

I'll take commercial when I have to be there.

My Dad told me about GA "If you have time to spare, go by air." This was while I was on the phone to him complaining about having to get a magneto rebuilt when 800 miles from home.

This is also true. We have spent any number of nights in a hotel waiting for weather. We have deviated through Mississippi around weather on our way from New York to Oklahoma. We have turned around and cancelled the trip. But it is always our decisions. We always know we have taken on the responsibility to make the correct decisions. I'm glad we invested the time and money in the plane.

 

[Rex Kramer]

As my wife and I were standing outside the hotel in Houston last weekend, I was watching airliners come down out of the low overcast on final. The humidity was high enough that you could see the wake turbulence coming off the wingtips. I'm guessing the change in air pressure in the vortex caused the moisture in the air to condense. You'd see a darker trail from each wingtip, and you could clearly see the rate at which it sank below the flight path. Pretty cool to watch, you don't get to see that very often. It was a cool, sticky-damp and almost dead calm morning.

What's pretty neat if you get the chance is to be under a landing airliner when it's on short final. The park at DCA is a good example... or the employee lot in EWR as another After the plane flies by you will feel and hear the vorticies swirl around you. It sounds like a "tight wind whipping" noise and it's interesting to hear.

Now for the reason we were even there to see it. Flying commercial to get to and from Ft. Lauderdale for a cruise has, I suspect, made my wife just a bit more receptive to the idea of airplane ownership. There were the usual stupid, mindless TSA hassles, extra charges for checking bags, and the fact that the tattered remains of Continental stuck us in Houston for an unplanned night (and of course took NO responsibility for doing so). I pointed out, as we were waiting for the shuttle to take us to the hotel where we would have no clean clothes for the next morning, that if we'd just flown down there ourselves we would have been arriving home right about then. As I have said to myself on every leg of every commercial flight for the past six months, I said again... this is one reason I'm learning to fly, and almost the only reason I'm looking at airplanes. When I tell my wife I've been looking at porn again, she knows it's either controller.com or used piston singles on eBay. Where there is what looks like it may be a killer deal in a Cardinal right now, by the way.

I know you don't think it will do any good, but please send in a nastygram to UCAL about your experience.


Then get back to the porn

 

[kyleb]

Consider something fast enough to be competitive- Mooney. It was really the speed of that thing that convinced my spouse that GA was going to amount to something useable.

Without the M20J, there would never have been the Seneca II.

This.

By the time you load the car, drive to the airport, load the plane, fly to your destination, unload the airplane, and get into the rental car, a hundred knot airplane isn't a time saver compared to just hopping in a car and driving directly to your destination.

 

[wabower]

Too many variables in play to make that call. Orange cones can wreak havoc with any road trip. Anybody who tries to go anywhere on I-35 that requires driving through Austin, TX will vote for an airplane of any speed.

This.

By the time you load the car, drive to the airport, load the plane, fly to your destination, unload the airplane, and get into the rental car, a hundred knot airplane isn't a time saver compared to just hopping in a car and driving directly to your destination.

 

[DaleB]

By the time you load the car, drive to the airport, load the plane, fly to your destination, unload the airplane, and get into the rental car, a hundred knot airplane isn't a time saver compared to just hopping in a car and driving directly to your destination.

Depends on how far away your destination is. On short trips, that's true. On a trip from say, Omaha to Charlotte, or Omaha to Phoenix, it's going to be faster flying direct at 100 kt even with fuel stops. I'm really not looking at 100 knot airplanes, either. While a Cherokee 140 is certainly within the budget, it's just not going to fit our needs. I think Comanches are pretty sexy... just won't be good enough to fly one for a while yet. Bruce, I don't know that I'd fit in a Mooney.

Hey, was just talking about this last night....if you are late for your cruise, just what happens? Ship and 5000 people wait patiently? Cruiseship co pays to helo you out to the boat?
Yeah right. But if you miss the departure (and the Cruise co was arranging your flight there), what happens?

Well, if you're late they don't wait on you. The ship sails on schedule. If you can catch up with it, great. On our last one we got delayed - again, airline blames wx so we got stuck in Charlotte instead of San Juan. I had a very frank and direct conversation with the airline, and they got us to St. Thomas the next morning to meet the ship. Same result regardless of who arranges the flight.

As someone else mentioned, I'd rather assume responsibility for our own arrival (or lack of) and schedule.. Nothing will **** you off quite like arriving at the gate for the last connecting flight home -- along with half a dozen others -- and seeing your aircraft sitting ten yards away with the door closed and the jetway pulling back.

 

[zaitcev]

While a Cherokee 140 is certainly within the budget, it's just not going to fit our needs. I think Comanches are pretty sexy... just won't be good enough to fly one for a while yet. Bruce, I don't know that I'd fit in a Mooney.

It is easy for me to fit into a Mooney (and I was checked out in a short body M20E), but Comanche is plain impossible. I tried to sit in one and my head presses against the ceiling hard even without a headset. It was wide but low.

I met a guy from Purple Board who flies his family in Tiger on routes such as Tucson - El Paso. It is not quite as fast as a Mooney, but noticeably faster than Cherokee. He plans for 130 knots, which is the same speed I plan in Arrow!