So all my gear is re-packed at Castle Frostbite: all the sharp pointy things are in my checked bag, the Glock and the Ruger are all packed up, and yet again I spent a week in the woods without busting a single cap of .22, unless you count the single CCI shotshell used to dispatch a house mouse (outside, of course; I'm not a complete savage.)
All the electronic gadgetry is sporting a full charge, and I remembered
a dead tree book for the flight
.
Both legs of this trip are going to be on bitty Embraer bottle rockets, changing planes in Cleveland. (I'm still bitter that my flight out of Indy on a Dash 8 was scrubbed; I've never been on a turboprop bigger than a King Air.)
I spent FAR too much time on Dehavilland Dash-8s and Saab 340s in a previous life. (Used to be a lot of Beech 19's as well, 'til USAir upgraded that leg (PHL) and cancelled the PIT run.)
ReplyDeleteThe Dash is actually a pretty comfortable plane, and since it's high-wing, ALL the window seats have a good view. The *best* seat, however, is the center seat (of 5) in the back row, where there is no seat in front of you. And if you have a nice flight attendant and no seatmates, lying down crossways on the seats for a nap is also allowed.
So, What did the book say about boozology; pro or con?
ReplyDeleteNothin wrong with a King Air far as I'm concerned. Spent a LOT of time on 'large' turboprops (-130 anyone?) including Dash-8's. I'll take the King Air ('least the ones I used to ride) unless the alternative is oh, a G-III - they are pretty nice...
ReplyDeleteA single flight on a C-130 will cure you of the silliness that motivated your last sentence.
ReplyDeleteI just did the roundtrip to Winston-Salem on an Embraer "Cigar tube of the skies". Not pretty for someone big, nor tall. Arrive alive!
ReplyDeleteRE: Dash 8. You aren't missing anything. The one I flew on was bumpy, cramped, noisy and the undercarriage lit up like a sparkler on Independence day when we landed. All-in-all, I'd rather not do that again.
ReplyDeleteThe little regional jets delightful. You don't spend a decade getting everyone on board and they're smooth and fast and a lot quieter than the prop planes. I prefer them to the cattle cars of the skys.
Just have a safe trip and a good arrival, okay?
ReplyDeleteMost of the Continental commuter flights out of AVP are Dash 8s and I've found them to be reasonably comfortable...but my expectations are generally low when it comes to jumping puddles in a turboprop.
ReplyDeleteObligatory XKCD link
ReplyDelete-Tim D
I've always enjoyed riding Dash-8's. When lightly loaded, the initial acceleration on takeoff is impressive, and at least the ones flying out of here locally have big, cushy seats. I like sitting at the window by the nacelle and watching the gear and props. Bring earmuffs though, and on longish short routes they are sloooow compared to the RJ's.
ReplyDelete1993 April.
ReplyDeleteOn one of two COD flights out of Sigonella NAS to meet up with CVN–71.
Riding in the back of a C–2A Greyhound, notice light flashing in the overhead. Jr. flight attendant yells over to the crew chief, "Is this supposed to be flashing?"
Noticed wide banking turn. Landing in Sigonella NAS met up with the other COD flight, returned I forget why.
Next day, two flights become one with a sudden stop at the ended.
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=1100&tid=100&ct=1
In 2006 an Embraer Legacy (E135 in pinstripes) collided with a 737 over the Amazon Jungle. The 737 spun in, 155 fatal. The Embraer landed in one piece, no injuries.
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'....
Bram,
ReplyDelete"A single flight on a C-130 will cure you of the silliness that motivated your last sentence."
They used to take us AFJROTC nerds on field trips out to the local guard base. Flown on C-123s a few times, but I don't think we ever flew on a 130, despite the fact that they were building them right across the runway.
Been on more than a single -130 flight and am still "uncured". Had great ones, good ones and less than good ones on various -130 mods. Though I will note the King Air qualifier "at least the ones I've flown in"
ReplyDeleteThat said, I'd druther do NOE in a 130 next to the full urinal can on a hot summer day than deal with TSA in most airports
Anon at 8:03:
ReplyDeleteIt was luck. I HATE with passion the 190's I get to work on every night.
you flew on c-123s!
ReplyDeleteyou must be a whole lot older than i thought. they phased those things out right after the spanish-american war, as i recall.