anything will do!

[NewMoon]

Going to look at an Ovation.  This is motivation enough to overlook most any issues. 

[mike_elliott]

looks like allegiant "comfort class"

[NewMoon]

2 minutes ago, mike_elliott said:

looks like allegiant "comfort class"

American but all the same. Will hang onto my next one

[Jim Peace]

23 hours ago, NewMoon said:

Going to look at an Ovation.  This is motivation enough to overlook most any issues. 

 

I flew my C model to NJ last week from Florida.  About 6.5 total travel time.  I left it there and took the airlines back yesterday/today, 18 hours total travel time turned into 2 airlines and a long unplanned UBER from a different airport. Dont get me started on how messed up pax flying is....maybe they will get it right in the next 100 years.

[hubcap]

The last time I flew commercial, it took me almost 9 hours to fly from KC to Savannah, GA.

I could have made it in Myrtle in less than 4 hours.

[natdm]

I fly commercial a lot but I've developed a seething hatred for it. My wife has always been the one to get the cheapest seats because "why spend extra hundreds of dollars to have a mildly better seat for a few hours??". I get it, but I hate it. 

The plane was down for a (bad) avionics upgrade, and then an overhaul. Taking commercial flights for that time left me in a bad mood every day. 

I don't care if flying my plane is 5x the price and 3x the time, I'd prefer it.

 

[GeeBee]

I used to be a heavy equipment operator so my view of the airlines may be a little jaded. However it has been over 5 years since I operated a heavy and I rarely use my pass privileges, I usually buy tickets like anyone else. The thing about the airlines is it is a lot like Disneyworld. Sure you can rent a car, stay in Kissimmee for less, pay for parking, ride the tram in, be last in line for fast passes etc. I call that, "Fighting the Mouse". When you fight the mouse, the mouse likes it. The Mouse will roll around in the dirt happily with you just to watch you save a few bucks that he reclaims at a later date anyway. So it is with airlines. I am a member of Skymiles, Rapid Rewards etc and yes I have their credit cards so I get my first bag free except for SWA where it is free anyway. I get the perks and when the flight turns to crap, I am higher up on the re-book. The other day I was at Dallas Love and SWA throws me a "move up to A boarding for 20 bucks. Hey, 20 bucks is what it costs to watch monkeys do the nasty, so yeah, got A2. To heck with the bag check, I"m A2. Ditto Skymiles. I got AMEX Skymiles Platinum if the the flight cancels, go the lounge. Don't fight the mouse, do grab it by the tail and strangle it whenever you get the chance. 

[N201MKTurbo]

I fly the airlines way to much lately. One thing that bugs me is they try to get everybody to close their windows. I prefer to have a window seat so I can look out and my stratus can get a signal. I guess I'm a bad citizen of the airplane, because I open the window no matter what they say.

[Hank]

13 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I fly the airlines way to much lately. One thing that bugs me is they try to get everybody to close their windows. I prefer to have a window seat so I can look out and my stratus can get a signal. I guess I'm a bad citizen of the airplane, because I open the window no matter what they say.

I hate it when all the windows are closed. But insignia the aisle row for more legroom.

Why pay $20 extra to sit in a seat with a window, if you keep it closed the whole flight???

[EricJ]

19 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I fly the airlines way to much lately. One thing that bugs me is they try to get everybody to close their windows. I prefer to have a window seat so I can look out and my stratus can get a signal. I guess I'm a bad citizen of the airplane, because I open the window no matter what they say.

I haven't been on an airliner for a long time, but when I did I'd lean my sat back!    We're rebels. 

[natdm]

22 minutes ago, EricJ said:

I haven't been on an airliner for a long time, but when I did I'd lean my sat back!    We're rebels. 

Last time I flew, after hitting 10000ft, I leaned my seat back and immediately could hear the person behind me groaning. Then he asked the flight attendant to tell me to lean the seat forward for the flight. I stated I hadn't slept in forever and it's not really my problem if he doesn't like it back. I looked back, and the guy was pretty tall and really had no room at all, so I caved. But in my head, I argued back and won the fight.

[dkkim73]

3 hours ago, Hank said:

Why pay $20 extra to sit in a seat with a window, if you keep it closed the whole flight???

So the sheep-vegetables can be better attuned to their mobile devices. 

[dkkim73]

4 hours ago, GeeBee said:

 "Fighting the Mouse"

Brilliant phrase. 

[NewMoon]

4 hours ago, natdm said:

I fly commercial a lot but I've developed a seething hatred for it. My wife has always been the one to get the cheapest seats because "why spend extra hundreds of dollars to have a mildly better seat for a few hours??". I get it, but I hate it. 

The plane was down for a (bad) avionics upgrade, and then an overhaul. Taking commercial flights for that time left me in a bad mood every day. 

I don't care if flying my plane is 5x the price and 3x the time, I'd prefer it.

 

Amen to that!

[NewMoon]

3 minutes ago, dkkim73 said:

So the sheep-vegetables can be better attuned to their mobile devices. 

Right on!

[dkkim73]

On 6/30/2024 at 9:35 AM, NewMoon said:

Going to look at an Ovation.  This is motivation enough to overlook most any issues. 

Pressurized or un-pressurized? 

At least that's the joke I make. 

Seriously, management doesn't know much except squeezing more marginal profit blood out of the dry turnip. 'cause all those geniuses studied is... Wait for it... Management. 

I have toyed with the idea of starting an airline that has airplanes that don't require complex systems to enable junior flight crews (max 8), have some room, nice meals, magazines, "stewardesses"and stewards, grey haired pilots named Steve (inside joke), and treat customers less like ballast. 

Figuring out the demand and routing is the challenge. 

 

[Justin Schmidt]

1 minute ago, dkkim73 said:

Pressurized or un-pressurized? 

Depends on if it is a Boeing 

[Yetti]

On 7/1/2024 at 4:31 PM, natdm said:

Last time I flew, after hitting 10000ft, I leaned my seat back and immediately could hear the person behind me groaning. Then he asked the flight attendant to tell me to lean the seat forward for the flight. I stated I hadn't slept in forever and it's not really my problem if he doesn't like it back. I looked back, and the guy was pretty tall and really had no room at all, so I caved. But in my head, I argued back and won the fight.

It's kind of not possible if I am behind you.   You would not get sleep anyways since I move every 5 minutes and your back will be jostled.

[Will.iam]

On 7/1/2024 at 7:17 PM, dkkim73 said:

Pressurized or un-pressurized? 

At least that's the joke I make. 

Seriously, management doesn't know much except squeezing more marginal profit blood out of the dry turnip. 'cause all those geniuses studied is... Wait for it... Management. 

I have toyed with the idea of starting an airline that has airplanes that don't require complex systems to enable junior flight crews (max 8), have some room, nice meals, magazines, "stewardesses"and stewards, grey haired pilots named Steve (inside joke), and treat customers less like ballast. 

Figuring out the demand and routing is the challenge. 

 

MGM-Grand used to have its own private airline offering first class amenities for the entire cabin. They folded. Hooters had their own airline, folded. Netjet and the like take care of the wealthy, uber wealthy just have their own personal jet. The middle class in society is vanishing hence there is not a market for airlines to go there which leaves the lower class and business traveler to compete for. 
good luck. 

[flyboy0681]

Not sure if all the whining is warranted. I started flying commercial in the late 70's (now approaching 2 million lifetime miles with AA) and don't find the experience much different than those days. Yes, meals were served, but who needs an appetizer, entree and dessert on a flight from LaGuardia to Chicago? The common complaint is crowding on planes, but is it realistically different than 1980? Here is a picture from an American 707, which doesn't look much different than a 737-800 to me, sans leisure suits. There may have been an extra two or three inches of more space between seats back then, but does two inches amount to much? Seven inches, yes, but two? In this picture there is still one window per seat. For those who complain about seat space, there are many options now available (at a cost) and premium economy is close to where business class was in the 90's. And remember, back during the golden age of flying, if you didn't come equipped with a book, newspaper and magazines for a six hour trip, it was going to be a rather boring experience. Yes, you could place those phenomenally uncomfortable earphones in your ears, but they were like wearing David Clark's after an hour. I'd much rather have my iPad on the tray table with a few HD films ready for viewing, while checking email on occasion. And don't forget about the fatigue caused by the engines back in those days. Now let's talk about cost, in 1965 a roundtrip ticket from JFK to LAX cost $145.00 (pretty cheap huh?), which adjusted for inflation is now $1,360.00, and due to CAB regulations back then, that's what you paid regardless of airline. Imagine taking a family of four from New York to LA for a visit to Disneyland for $5,500 in airfare alone.

I must admit, there are two things that have gotten worse since those halcyon days - security and the clientele. The security lines prior to TSA PreCheck were pretty bad, but in most airports I now zoom through without having to take off my shoes and belt. I have a friend who says he won't travel because of the invasiveness and long lines at security - to which I say -  I don't have a problem wading through security for ten minutes in order to spend two weeks traveling the world - even if I'm pulled aside for a more extensive search. The flying public is another matter, but this only started happening over the past decade and got exponentially worse during Covid when forced to wear masks.

[201er]

1 hour ago, flyboy0681 said:

There may have been an extra two or three inches of more space between seats back then, but does two inches amount to much? Seven inches, yes, but two?

And can you imagine Mooney stretched the cabin 10 inches going from short to midbody!? And every seat is a window seat!

[dkkim73]

3 hours ago, Will.iam said:

 The middle class in society is vanishing hence there is not a market for airlines to go there which leaves the lower class and business traveler to compete for. 

Sadly, I fear you are right. Things are probably stratifying up and down as you say.  I've even heard folks here on MS talk about the pros and cons of buying fractional time.

[hammdo]

10 hours ago, Will.iam said:

MGM-Grand used to have its own private airline offering first class amenities for the entire cabin. They folded. Hooters had their own airline, folded. Netjet and the like take care of the wealthy, uber wealthy just have their own personal jet. The middle class in society is vanishing hence there is not a market for airlines to go there which leaves the lower class and business traveler to compete for. 
good luck. 

American had that when I flew to New York all the time. Every seat first class. Loved it. Now, I hate flying commercial as everything has shrunk - now these things are cattle haulers…

I sure hope I can continue to fly myself for a long time…

-Don

[dkkim73]

It is worth reflecting on how wonderful an experience flying yourself actually is... I'd had nice memories from the 2000's but am happy it is still largely true. It was a gamble to jump back in, but the FIKI turbo Mooney has paid off in spades. 

I'm delaying a commute back due to some convection over the north right now but still thinking it's great I can choose to leave early in the morning and see the sun over the mountains and be home for the 4th (and likely a rodeo nearby!). 

I hope @NewMoon's Ovation search goes well.  Happy 4th to all!

David

[NewMoon]

5 hours ago, dkkim73 said:

It is worth reflecting on how wonderful an experience flying yourself actually is... I'd had nice memories from the 2000's but am happy it is still largely true. It was a gamble to jump back in, but the FIKI turbo Mooney has paid off in spades. 

I'm delaying a commute back due to some convection over the north right now but still thinking it's great I can choose to leave early in the morning and see the sun over the mountains and be home for the 4th (and likely a rodeo nearby!). 

I hope @NewMoon's Ovation search goes well.  Happy 4th to all!

David

Thx Dave, yes I pinch myself often as I slide into the left seat. Hoping to be closed in two weeks. Happy 4th!