Have you ever flown?

[Aloha]

Truthfully there aren't many places I need/want to go that I cannot get to by auto.  I have flown many times tho not for a while.   

[derekmac]

I've flown quite a few times.  Commercial flights mostly, domestic and international.  I've also been up a couple of times in a Cormorant SAR helicopter.  Those flights were AWESOME!!

[sLaughterMed]

I love flying, always wanted to be a pilot as a kid. I have an (obscenely wealthy) Uncle who owns a Cessna, I even got to fly it once. It was an extremely cool experience.

[Grant Lamontagne]

On one flight between Toronto and Sudbury I flew on a Dash 8, just like this one:



The airport fire crew were training as we taxied down the runway, past the flaming wreckage of a plane- or rather a mockup of a plane the firefighters can set on fire over and over again.  I grew up on military air bases so I am used to seeing this kind of thing, but it amused me how the half dozen or so other people on the flight watched in amazement as the firefighters fought the blaze.... and the sheer terror that slowly crept into each of their faces as they realized the flaming aircraft in the ditch was a mockup of the exact plane they were currently accelerating to take off speed in!   

Def

[David]

The first time I flew years ago I had a hang over and the pilot wound those jet engines up till the 737 shook. When he let off the brakes we launched down the run way at a high rate of speed. When we went wheels up he cocked that plane at a steep angle and climbed rapidly. When we finally leveled off I was thinking that was cool wished I didnt have a hang over I might have really enjoyed it.      I have to admit that under the circumstances it was a bit unsettling.       

[ColoSwiss]

Since I started this I probably should add some of my own experiences. Have flown commercial (including an old DC-3), general (my Dad was a pilot), and military. Some high points include a helicopter landing on a New Zealand glacier, and a tethered hot air balloon ride over Berlin.

(Mts Tasman and Cook in New Zealand, and Fox Glacier)

[ToolJoe]

I have flown. I prefer shorter flights. I can stand longer flights but turbulence drives me up a wall.
Flying to/from Colorado last year was trouble free. Flying home from Florida this past January sucked to say the least with the numerous times of turbulence.. 

[getahl]

Since I was ten, I've flown at least once per year, and that has been very nearly twenty six years ago. Never military, exclusively commercial. It was an adventure at first, for whatever reason, terrifying the second or third time, and old hat after that. I hate flying because I always feel like I need a shower as soon as I get off the plane, even if it's a quick jaunt from LAX to SFO to visit my wife's sister and her family. I've flown international a couple times, to Paris and to BC, and across the US a couple dozen times. Went one a helicopter tour once, to the eastern side of Maui. I got motion sick and don't really care to repeat that experience.

Never really have had a scary experience, outside whatever I was telling myself when I was 11. Turbulence, mild to severe, and nothing more.

Edit to add, I've been in the Goodyear blimp. That sucker moves slower than molasses in winter. It wasn't during a sportsball game, but was still cool to be in the gondola.

[HarleyXJGuy]

I once flew non stop from North Carolina in the US to Russia for a NATO exercise. We parachuted once we got there. Longest airborne operation ever.

Want to say we was in the air almost 24 hours. It was a long time ago so my memory could be off a little.

[magentus]

I once flew non stop from North Carolina in the US to Russia for a NATO exercise. We parachuted once we got there. Longest airborne operation ever.

Want to say we was in the air almost 24 hours. It was a long time ago so my memory could be off a little.

24 hours! How did you have the energy for a jump after that? Jeez that sounds tough. How long were you on the ground before having to jump back into the plane again?

[HarleyXJGuy]

I once flew non stop from North Carolina in the US to Russia for a NATO exercise. We parachuted once we got there. Longest airborne operation ever.

Want to say we was in the air almost 24 hours. It was a long time ago so my memory could be off a little.

24 hours! How did you have the energy for a jump after that? Jeez that sounds tough. How long were you on the ground before having to jump back into the plane again?

It was a big plane and just our Company jumping so plenty of room to roll out a blanket and sleep or play cards. Did not put our chutes on till a couple hours out, it is called in flight rigging.

Hard to remember both because it was a long time ago and because the Home Guard from England was also there and a lot of adult beverages were had. There was a whole exercise once we got there and I want to say we was stayed a few weeks?

It was in Kazakhstan. Beautiful place with a ton of history and ladies that like the Americans.

[magentus]

I once flew non stop from North Carolina in the US to Russia for a NATO exercise. We parachuted once we got there. Longest airborne operation ever.

Want to say we was in the air almost 24 hours. It was a long time ago so my memory could be off a little.

24 hours! How did you have the energy for a jump after that? Jeez that sounds tough. How long were you on the ground before having to jump back into the plane again?

It was a big plane and just our Company jumping so plenty of room to roll out a blanket and sleep or play cards. Did not put our chutes on till a couple hours out, it is called in flight rigging.

Hard to remember both because it was a long time ago and because the Home Guard from England was also there and a lot of adult beverages were had. There was a whole exercise once we got there and I want to say we was stayed a few weeks?

It was in Kazakhstan. Beautiful place with a ton of history and ladies that like the Americans.

Did you take nylons with you to tempt the local ladies?

[HarleyXJGuy]

I once flew non stop from North Carolina in the US to Russia for a NATO exercise. We parachuted once we got there. Longest airborne operation ever.

Want to say we was in the air almost 24 hours. It was a long time ago so my memory could be off a little.

24 hours! How did you have the energy for a jump after that? Jeez that sounds tough. How long were you on the ground before having to jump back into the plane again?

It was a big plane and just our Company jumping so plenty of room to roll out a blanket and sleep or play cards. Did not put our chutes on till a couple hours out, it is called in flight rigging.

Hard to remember both because it was a long time ago and because the Home Guard from England was also there and a lot of adult beverages were had. There was a whole exercise once we got there and I want to say we was stayed a few weeks?

It was in Kazakhstan. Beautiful place with a ton of history and ladies that like the Americans.

Did you take nylons with you to tempt the local ladies?

I can neither confirm nor deny the fact we bought every pair of Levis the PX had before starting our trip. I should also remain silent about rucksacks full of .25 cent fifths of rum jumping back in at Fort Bragg after a trip to Puerto Rico.

[Gareth]

I have no problem with being inside a tiny can going at 900 kph higher up than the peak of Mt Everest, I do often have problems sharing the can, and the procedures getting into and out of the can. On the other hand, I actually like airline food. It's sort of a little adventure in itself, and the closest I'll ever get to astronaut food. I dreamt of going to space when I was a kid.

Exactly.  I don't mind the flying aspect, but the polava of getting to the airport, queuing to get rid of luggage and getting boarding passes, queuing to get though security, hanging around departures drinking over-priced coffee, queuing to get through the departure gate, taking off, flying, landing, queuing to get off, waiting to get luggage back, waiting to get taxi/train/hire car and only then can you really say you've gotten anywhere.

All that said, I really do like visiting other places and flying is still often the best option.

[Teofilo]

Yes. Many times in different parts of my country. Three times international but only in Asia.

[Syncop8r]

I have also flown domestically a bit - 45min to 1.5 hour flights in 737s, A320s, ATR72s and Dash 8 (Q300)s. Once for military in an Andover, 2 hours in a backward-facing seat.

I did a long haul once to the UK and back via Shanghai on the way there (4 hour wait in the terminal) and Tokyo on the way back (10 hour wait so we explored the town and temples of Narita).
Each leg was 10-12 hours which was a bit torturous and on the descent into Heathrow I got a massive sinus pain in my brow.
The Air New Zealand legs were a B767 and a B777 and the Virgin legs were A340s.

[Tomcat_81]

20 Flights, still magic.
Always loved anything with wings, airports and so on, even got into collecting airplane-parts when I was about 15, but I never took off until I was about 18. -A late-flier I'd say ;-)

So every takeoff is something special for me, I'm the guy who keeps up the blinds any time. Even the very long flights ( New Zealand (Via Bangkok) and Japan (via LHR), both from Munich, were something genuinely enjoyable for me. 

BTW- yes, I love cats, but that Username was, in fact, adopted from the wonderful F14.

[Mr Biriyani]

Yes many many times. Oh.. and once with fighterpilot friend in a military jet. That was fun and woke me up before I was knocked out by the g-forces.

[pfrsantos]

I once flew non stop from North Carolina in the US to Russia for a NATO exercise. We parachuted once we got there. Longest airborne operation ever.

Want to say we was in the air almost 24 hours. It was a long time ago so my memory could be off a little.

24 hours! How did you have the energy for a jump after that? Jeez that sounds tough. How long were you on the ground before having to jump back into the plane again?

It was a big plane and just our Company jumping so plenty of room to roll out a blanket and sleep or play cards. Did not put our chutes on till a couple hours out, it is called in flight rigging.

Hard to remember both because it was a long time ago and because the Home Guard from England was also there and a lot of adult beverages were had. There was a whole exercise once we got there and I want to say we was stayed a few weeks?

It was in Kazakhstan. Beautiful place with a ton of history and ladies that like the Americans.

Ah, yes... Very nice!

Show content

People of Kazakhstan are very good welcome stranger other people.

Offer guide to beauty of country.

Show content

Also stranger other people embrace Kazakhstan national parachute jumping suit.

[derekmac]

I once flew non stop from North Carolina in the US to Russia for a NATO exercise. We parachuted once we got there. Longest airborne operation ever.

Want to say we was in the air almost 24 hours. It was a long time ago so my memory could be off a little.

24 hours! How did you have the energy for a jump after that? Jeez that sounds tough. How long were you on the ground before having to jump back into the plane again?

It was a big plane and just our Company jumping so plenty of room to roll out a blanket and sleep or play cards. Did not put our chutes on till a couple hours out, it is called in flight rigging.

Hard to remember both because it was a long time ago and because the Home Guard from England was also there and a lot of adult beverages were had. There was a whole exercise once we got there and I want to say we was stayed a few weeks?

It was in Kazakhstan. Beautiful place with a ton of history and ladies that like the Americans.

There are people that like Americans?



Just kidding. 

[N_N_R]

I flew to South Africa as a teen... visited my sister. Do we count non-direct flights as two? lol. Flying was fine.

Then I visited a friend in Ukraine in 2011. It was ok, too.

Then I visited a cousin in Italy in 2014. I was freaking out before and during the flight for the first time, no idea why.

[jerseydevil]

Has anyone else here flown in a prop-driven airliner? Many moons ago I flew into New Mexico to meet my dad and my brothers who were already in Arizona on vacation.  I flew from Boulder CO to NM as the ONLY PASSENGER on a DC-6.  I even got to sit in the cockpit for most of the flight, and this was post 9/11!  VERY cool!

[Whoey]

Has anyone else here flown in a prop-driven airliner? Many moons ago I flew into New Mexico to meet my dad and my brothers who were already in Arizona on vacation.  I flew from Boulder CO to NM as the ONLY PASSENGER on a DC-6.  I even got to sit in the cockpit for most of the flight, and this was post 9/11!  VERY cool!

Number of flights on Dash 8s, although slightly more modern than a DC-6

[eamo]

Has anyone else here flown in a prop-driven airliner? Many moons ago I flew into New Mexico to meet my dad and my brothers who were already in Arizona on vacation.  I flew from Boulder CO to NM as the ONLY PASSENGER on a DC-6.  I even got to sit in the cockpit for most of the flight, and this was post 9/11!  VERY cool!

yeah, a few times. No real interest in planes but I think it was an ATR-42, least thats what the airlines uses and it looked like the pics i googled

[Tomcat_81]

Has anyone else here flown in a prop-driven airliner? Many moons ago I flew into New Mexico to meet my dad and my brothers who were already in Arizona on vacation.  I flew from Boulder CO to NM as the ONLY PASSENGER on a DC-6.  I even got to sit in the cockpit for most of the flight, and this was post 9/11!  VERY cool!

Maaaan, that's flying history!
Great story, I'd love to see a picture!

[jerseydevil]

Sadly the pictures are long lost.   It was such a cool experience though I'll never forget it.

[ColoSwiss]

Has anyone else here flown in a prop-driven airliner? Many moons ago I flew into New Mexico to meet my dad and my brothers who were already in Arizona on vacation.  I flew from Boulder CO to NM as the ONLY PASSENGER on a DC-6.  I even got to sit in the cockpit for most of the flight, and this was post 9/11!  VERY cool!

Back in the late 1950s. The first leg, from Des Moines to Kansas City, was on a DC-3. Second leg, from KC to Wichita, was on another prop airliner (Convair maybe? Twin engines, tripod landing gear).

[Gareth]

Has anyone else here flown in a prop-driven airliner? Many moons ago I flew into New Mexico to meet my dad and my brothers who were already in Arizona on vacation.  I flew from Boulder CO to NM as the ONLY PASSENGER on a DC-6.  I even got to sit in the cockpit for most of the flight, and this was post 9/11!  VERY cool!

Turboprops a couple of times.  The plane I jumped out of was a twin prop.  Two engines, no doors.

[powernoodle]

I flew to maybe 10 countries in my youth, from Brazil to Russia.  Took flying lessons around the age of 18, and after soloing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-28_Cherokee) I decided to quit.  Light aircraft are too dangerous for Powernoodle.  I have not flown in about 16 years, and have no desire to do so.  Owning a drone with video cam sounds like fun, though.

[twiliter]

Only a few flights until my late 30's, then quite a few since then, mostly commercial, with a handful of private jets. Longest trip was from ATL to Johannesburg, 15+ hours. Most comfy was a Transatlantic trip on a new A380 (AirFrance). White knuckled on 2 or 3 flights early on, pretty resigned to trusting my luck since then. One flight I was on was struck by lightning over the Carribean, that was probably the scariest.