Jump to content

Airports and other flying experiences. We can talk about boats too.


Drroogh

Recommended Posts

With the thread highjack in the Coronavirus thread I thought why not dedicate a thread to airports and airport experiences!

Have to say I'm pretty well stuck with ATL Atlanta, I could fly out of Columbus but most of those just connect to Atlanta at a cost adder! I use a website that let's me reserve a parking space at one of the airport motels at a much lower rate than the regular airport parking areas. Then just ride the motel shuttle in and they drop me off at the terminal. ATL get's a bad rap but I actually think it is one of the most efficient Airports in the world considering the volume of traffic going through it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 53
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Worst airport for me used to be Moscow, they would dump you into the terminal hall from your international flight. You would have to fight your way through the bevy Taxi companies to get to the hall and then try and find an independent driver to drive you to the other side of the airport where the domestic terminal was. The company cabs wanted to charge $50 for a 5 minute ride cheapest I was able to negotiate was $10. Once there, there was not enough seating so you would have to stand until your flight. Thank God, they added a terminal a few years ago now you stay in the same terminal to change planes and now is one of the better international connections!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, rico said:

I have a phobia about it.  Although I have ridden in a helicopter a few times.

Understand...I'm not a big fan of flying in small turboprops, but I'm ok with airline flying...I mean once you get past the uncomfortable seats, obnoxious people, and crappy service, it isn't too bad...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, IUFLA said:

Understand...I'm not a big fan of flying in small turboprops, but I'm ok with airline flying...I mean once you get past the uncomfortable seats, obnoxious people, and crappy service, it isn't too bad...

Remember back in the day, when planes actually had leg room and nobody complained if you leaned your seat back? They had a smoking section reserved at the back of the plane. The flight attendants were called stewardesses and they weren't at retirement age!  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Drroogh said:

Wow, you need to change your phobia! Helicopters are a whole lot more dangerous than planes. Or is your phobia airports?

Just have a fear of flying...and trust me, being in the helicopters was uneasy as well.

I guess the best way(maybe not) to explain it is I am an avid fisherman.  A boat is nothing new to me, I use them all the time.  But I get an uneasy feeling when I am in a boat and can't see land.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, rico said:

Just have a fear of flying...and trust me, being in the helicopters was uneasy as well.

I guess the best way(maybe not) to explain it is I am an avid fisherman.  A boat is nothing new to me, I use them all the time.  But I get an uneasy feeling when I am in a boat and can't see land.

Understand! I can say I've only been in that situation a couple of times taking the ferry across Lake Michigan. It was definitely an eerie feeling after living on land your whole life!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Drroogh changed the title to Airports and other flying experiences. We can talk about boats too.
9 minutes ago, rico said:

Just have a fear of flying...and trust me, being in the helicopters was uneasy as well.

I guess the best way(maybe not) to explain it is I am an avid fisherman.  A boat is nothing new to me, I use them all the time.  But I get an uneasy feeling when I am in a boat and can't see land.

Changed the thread title for you Rico😀

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While being in the middle of Lake Michigan was a bit surreal, I used to love going sailing out of Michigan City on my friends 20' sail. The stronger the wind and the bigger the waves all the better! Remember one time we went out and the waves were such that standing on the deck at the bottom of the swell I couldn't see the mast of the only other fool out there that was probably 100 yards away! Loved it, makes your adrenaline pump!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Airport humor! After a business trip to Hong Kong, the PRC and Thailand, we had a connection back to America through Tokyo. My boss went into the restroom and came back out laughing his a$$ off. He said you have got to go in and see that! Once inside dominating the middle of the floor for everybody to see, was a 3'*3' shiny polished stainless steel plate with a hole in it You figure it out!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, rico said:

I have a phobia about it.  Although I have ridden in a helicopter a few times.

Growing up my Grandfather had a small cessna. Used to cruise back and forth from Illinois to Florida often. Traveled quite a bit growing up and into my 30's work wise and vacations but here in the last 2-3 years something has me very, very uneasy about air travel. No clue. Had to go to California last month for work....basically got meds for the trip so I could be asleep right away. I get the phobia. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My favorite airport is Fort Myers. I like them small and clean. Phoenix should be nice once they complete the light rail to the rental car terminal. 

Only time I ever flew in a small plane was a 4 seater in Alaska. Thought it might be a bit scary but loved the experience. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Drroogh said:

Airport humor!😀 My memory fails as to which airport it was, but pretty sure it was Milwaukee! Walking through the main hall, anybody else fall for trying to pick up the quarter glued to the floor?

No, but everything about Milwaukee air traffic and facilities is rinky dink...

I got called up to their radar facility (drove from Aurora, Il to MKE airport) to fix a printer issue (software)...said it was a safety issue...the guy gets me in there and there are 5 radar scopes...and a printer at each end...the guy points to the middle scope and says, 'that positions strips are printing at that end, and he has to walk too far to get them." As he points to the printer on the right...which is literally the same distance to the printer on the left...I was pissed...

Their air traffic management were all dummies...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, IUFLA said:

No, but everything about Milwaukee air traffic and facilities is rinky dink...

I got called up to their radar facility (drove from Aurora, Il to MKE airport) to fix a printer issue (software)...said it was a safety issue...the guy gets me in there and there are 5 radar scopes...and a printer at each end...the guy points to the middle scope and says, 'that positions strips are printing at that end, and he has to walk too far to get them." As he points to the printer on the right...which is literally the same distance to the printer on the left...I was pissed...

Their air traffic management were all dummies...

 

Understand!

But I can also remember being in Milwaukee airport and realizing that it was their Air National Guard that had recently answered the call within minutes, when a flight into Ohare after 911  was considered a possible threat! My niece posted about hearing the sonic booms! All do respect for those who put themselves at the front lines!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am 1 hour of night flying, to meet all of my pre-req's, and my final check ride Friday from getting my Private Pilots license. After that, I hope to never see the inside of that SH airport O'hare ever again. KDFW is my Favorite, KCLT #2.

I was flying through O'hare about 4 years ago. We were in the middle of boarding the freaking plane. All of a sudden, all of the gate agents disappeared. ~15 min later, they came back and we went on with boarding. As I went through the Boarding pass scan I asked where they all disappeared to. The gate agent told me that it was Break time, Union rules they had to go!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Drroogh said:

While being in the middle of Lake Michigan was a bit surreal, I used to love going sailing out of Michigan City on my friends 20' sail. The stronger the wind and the bigger the waves all the better! Remember one time we went out and the waves were such that standing on the deck at the bottom of the swell I couldn't see the mast of the only other fool out there that was probably 100 yards away! Loved it, makes your adrenaline pump!!

Growing up as a youngster. I always loved fishing for perch with my dad off of the pier in Michigan City.  Hope this is not considered hijacking this thread.  But with no sports going on... to me, it's like sitting around the dinner table and discussing whatever comes to mind. 

Oh by the way.  Loved the zoo in Michigan City as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Joe_Hoopsier said:

Yes I believe so. I’ve spent way to many days here in Indiana looking up at IFR conditions, with a plane tucked away in the hanger! 

Excellent! Keep getting as many certs as you can. Good pilots are in high demand...

Use ATC when you can...even VFR it makes for a safer NAS...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tensest flight; we were on a charter 8-10 passenger twin turbo flying in to Pontiac MI airport there had been a blizzard so there was ice and snow everywhere! As we were on approach there was about a 40 mile and hour cross wind!! The plane was coming in at what seemed a 45deg angle to the runway! One of the smoother landings I've had or maybe the difference between reality and expectation made it feel that way! The pilot was awesome!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




×
×
  • Create New...