Jet Travel

[LPatterson]

Our pilots liked to kid that a landing was a controlled crash and since we were wearing parachutes anyway we only had to worry about where we were getting out at.

Be suprised how fast 34 people can get out of a DC-3 when the engine starts smoking & quits.

[markcic]

I'll admit it. I'm scared to fly jets. We have our annual conference tomorrow. It's a nothing flight, well under a hour to Orange Ca. from Phoenix. It's just that I HATE jets. Give me props any day. Feels like aviation with props. Feels like ballistics in a jet.

Hate 'em.

...mommy

Jim

Still safer than Amtrak.

The key is to learn to sleep on the flight. If it was a longer flight I'd suggest going to the doc and getting some Ambien for a longer flight. or Tynelol PM.

Luckily, since I do it at least 40 weeks a year for my job, I don't have any problem with flying other than crappy service.

Jets are actually quite safe. I was in the jump seat of a Gulfstream and had a bird strike on final. Other than cleaning my shorts there was no other damage that couldn't be hosed off.

[glock17w]

If you have never flown Korean Air, you are missing out. I love flying Korean Air but I hate the 14 hour non stop flight from Seoul to Atlanta and the 14 hour non stop flight from Atlanta to Seoul. At 6'8" it can be hard on the legs to sit in the seat that long. Korean Air is great though. They feed you 4 or 5 times. Keep you full of 80 proof alcohol if you request it at no charge. Show 3 or 4 movies. The flight attendants are always there when you ring them. I love flying Korean air.

While you are flying they show you on a screen that you cruising at 39,000 ft. That is a long fall to the ground if something goes wrong. Kind of nerve wrecking but I just keep drinking and eating until I fall asleep.

glock17w

[Chris Keen]

While you are flying they show you on a screen that you cruising at 39,000 ft. That is a long fall to the ground if something goes wrong. Kind of nerve wrecking but I just keep drinking and eating until I fall asleep.

glock17w

I will have to try that.

This is your pilot speaking ....... I have turned off the NO DRINKING sign. Have fun!"

[Hank Ellis]

I've been in aviation all my life. Pilot at 17. Mechanic at 20. Parachute rigger at 32. Been skydiving for 20 years. Aircraft mechanic for 29 with 27 in rotorcraft.

The list of near incidents I've had can be counted on both hands. Just a few.

As a newbie pilot I was making a night run from Columbus, OH to Kansas City, MO. Didn't pay attention to the temp/dew point spread. Fog formed and I was in a bind as I'm not instrument rated. Declared an emergency and landed at the only open airport within fuel range. Learned my lesson.

Skydiving from a Cessna 182. Pilot ran out of fuel at 5,000 ft. We jettisoned the aircraft and all landed safely. Pilot said he misjudged the fuel burn. Let it slide. Till he did it again a week later. Kicked his ass.

Skydiving from a CASA 212. At 5,500 ft the #2 engine made a very expensive noise. Pilot got us over the DZ and 34 people left the aircraft in short order. Fuel control drive gear had a major come-apart. Pay attention when those chip lights flicker.

Autorotation RPM check in a BO-105. Pilot took both engines to idle with the collective up in the cruise position. Rotor RPM bled to 85% and the aircraft quit flying. Pilot went catatonic and got control back using techniques not in the book. The checklists are there for a reason and don't get in an aircraft with a pilot that came to work on the short bus.

All in all, I trust the vehicle. The weak point is the meat in the two front seats. However, commercial aircraft today are so advanced they can nearly fly themselves automously. The pilots are trained better today than they ever have. I still don't care for flying commercial but it has nothing to do with the vehicle or the pilots. It's the cattle herding mass-transit mentality that cuts my fuse short.

[Jman]

I survived it. Double shots of tequila and beer chasers. I couldn't have cared less.

P.S. Still, I'm taking a RV to the Nationals in June.

Jim