Have you ever flown?

[Act2uToo]

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!

I've flown in a Beechcraft 1900 commercially a couple of times.  That's a nice modern plane.

[Sea Monster]

Well your answers from here are already tainted as your repondees all


A. Have semi reliable access to the internet.
and
B. Can afford the time and money to have an interested in niche hobby items.


So, odds are, we all also have access, the time, and the wherewithal, to fly if need be.

[Chako]

Looks like I am in a minority here...I can live with that. 

[Tomcat_81]

Chako, you live in Canada. No need to fly away ;-)

[Don Pablo]

I'm suprised by the diversity of the machines that the people here have flown in. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Chako, you live in Canada. No need to fly away ;-)

If you've ever tried driving across it, you may want to reconsider air travel.....  it's over 6,000kms from coast to coast.....

Def

[NKlamerus]

Im flying to Portland. But i have never tried to fly with a MT.

I suppose i just put it in my checked suitcase?

[Huntsman]

One of those odd questions that came up. How many people have flown at least once in their life. Commercial, general or military. There's a fairly reliable figure of around 80% of adult US citizens. World-wide there's a SWAG of around 5%. Suspect that's way too low as it implies Americans are the vast majority of fliers.  Just curious as to how many members here have ever flown.

Hi CS,
Only just seen this thread - So sorry if this has already been mentioned.

Interesting - Kinda makes sense:

Consider the US: Population 280 million ish? - Generaly affluent, westernised life style ....... Big country geographically - And only two land neighbours - Flying is almost an esserntial part of everyday life for many people (eg working, visiting family etc) - So most people fly - Just like Australia.

Consider India + China: Population 2 billion - Generaly third world, non affluent style ....... Nearly all people do not fly

Consider Europe - and maybe many other countries: Many other options for travel (train, road, and even walk/push bike!!) to go about your work, family and leisure business - And many things can be done within reach of your car/train/bike - No need to fly.

[Gareth]

Im flying to Portland. But i have never tried to fly with a MT.

I suppose i just put it in my checked suitcase?

Yeah, that should be fine.  It's only sharp and pointy things in your carry-on that airline security have an issue with.  Though my wife did manage to (accidentally) smuggle a SAK though security last year.  An honest mistake of not remembering that it was in her backpack.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Im flying to Portland. But i have never tried to fly with a MT.

I suppose i just put it in my checked suitcase?

I have flown many times with knives and multitools and they are good in your checked luggage.   As Gareth says though, it is easy to forget things everywhere else though.  My brother forgot his SwissCard in his wallet and was stopped. I had a decorative kitchen set wrapped up for his wedding that I tried to take with me so it wouldn't get destroyed and got speed for a pizza cutter. 

Make sure you check your keys and so on for anything you may have forgotten about so you don't get harassed, and if you do, let them take it.   It's easier to replace a knife than to get off the No Fly List.

Def

[Edward Scissorhands]

I've flown many times over the years, mostly between Detroit and family in Denver. I was always careful to pack the SAK so the SAK wouldn't get sacked. 

The last time my wife and I went to Denver, our return flight was scheduled for the afternoon of Tuesday, September 11, 2001.    We ended up driving back, and we haven't exposed ourselves (literally!) to air travel since.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Lucky you....

I'd read that Seth McFarlane, creator of Family Guy, American Dad etc was scheduled to be on one of the flights that didn't fare so well that day, but his assistant screwed up and he missed it.

I'll bet she went from being fired to getting a huge bonus in less than 24 hours.   

Def

[ColoSwiss]

One of those odd questions that came up. How many people have flown at least once in their life. Commercial, general or military. There's a fairly reliable figure of around 80% of adult US citizens. World-wide there's a SWAG of around 5%. Suspect that's way too low as it implies Americans are the vast majority of fliers.  Just curious as to how many members here have ever flown.

Hi CS,
Only just seen this thread - So sorry if this has already been mentioned.

Interesting - Kinda makes sense:

Consider the US: Population 280 million ish? - Generaly affluent, westernised life style ....... Big country geographically - And only two land neighbours - Flying is almost an esserntial part of everyday life for many people (eg working, visiting family etc) - So most people fly - Just like Australia.

Consider India + China: Population 2 billion - Generaly third world, non affluent style ....... Nearly all people do not fly

Consider Europe - and maybe many other countries: Many other options for travel (train, road, and even walk/push bike!!) to go about your work, family and leisure business - And many things can be done within reach of your car/train/bike - No need to fly.

Hi Huntsman,

The population of the US is around 320 million. 80% of US adults have flown; assume 70% of the total population has flown is 224 million.

Population of the world is around 7.1 billion. 5% of that is around 355 million.

That implies almost 2/3 of all fliers (63%) are American. That seem too high to me, given all the Europeans (including Russians), Japanese, Canadians, Aussies, etc. who have flown. I may be wrong, but the world-wide percent feels low.

[Gareth]

I don't have any figures to back this up, but I'd be surprised to hear if the majority of Brits hadn't flown.  We are on an island after all and most foreign holidays will be taken by flying.  Though ferries and even the train is possible (the eurotunnel).

[Steinar]

“Everybody” in Northern Europe (and that definitions includes Europe as far south as Germany) goes to the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands or similar on their vacation. So a high percentage get stuffed in a charter plane once pretty much every year.

(Ironically, I have been neither anywhere in Europe south of the Alps nor the Canary Islands myself.)

[ColoSwiss]

“Everybody” in Northern Europe (and that definitions includes Europe as far south as Germany) goes to the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands or similar on their vacation. So a high percentage get stuffed in a charter plane once pretty much every year.

(Ironically, I have been neither anywhere in Europe south of the Alps nor the Canary Islands myself.)

Spain is definitely worth a trip. Italy probably isn't. Haven't been to Greece yet.

[Tomcat_81]

Italy probably isn't.

Strong disagreement here, but of course this is subject to personal preferences

[ColoSwiss]

Italy probably isn't.

Strong disagreement here, but of course this is subject to personal preferences

Italy was the worst trip to Europe I've been on, and the one place I wouldn't go back to. There were things in Rome and Florence that I enjoyed, but the overall experience was not good.

[Tomcat_81]

Sorry to hear that :-<
If you should ever return, I would gladly try to put together a small package of things and places to give you a happy time there. I just returned from Italy yesterday (after an abstinence of about ten years with travelling to more remote places) and am still amazed. I've been there about 25 times, from Naples to Southern Tyrolia, and still love Italy!
Tomcat

[ColoSwiss]

Sorry to hear that :-<
If you should ever return, I would gladly try to put together a small package of things and places to give you a happy time there. I just returned from Italy yesterday (after an abstinence of about ten years with travelling to more remote places) and am still amazed. I've been there about 25 times, from Naples to Southern Tyrolia, and still love Italy!
Tomcat

Appreciate the offer, but too many other places on the bucket list still to see: Iceland, Portugal, Greece, Hungary, Australia. Also possibly Brazil, Argentina and Chile; Tanzania, etc.

[derekmac]

Italy probably isn't.

Strong disagreement here, but of course this is subject to personal preferences

God we loved Italy when we were there.  We went to Florence, Venice and Rome, and took the high speed from France to get there.

[Fortytwo]

I was in Florence just two weeks ago, high season seems to be starting and I believe it might get to a point were it would be way to crowded for my taste. I strongly believe this could tip your experience.

[strmliner]

Sorry I missed the survey.  I've been flying since all fleets were turbo props...all landed safely!   

[ColoSwiss]

Booked a trip through Alitalia. The '4-star' hotel in Rome was a dump. Problems with the train ticket from Rome to Florence. Got to my hotel in Florence and no reservation. Alitalia had moved me to another cheaper hotel on the other side of town and didn't bother to inform me (or refund the difference).

Rome itself is filthy, with trash and graffiti everywhere. Insane drivers, rude waiters, crooked taxi drivers.

Two attempts to lift my wallet in Rome; another in Florence. It's so wide-spread and blatant it's obvious the Italian police are looking the other way.

There were things in Italy I enjoyed; Palatine Hill, Villa Borghese, the Duomo and the Uffizi in Florence. Italy itself I did not enjoy, and have no intention of revisiting.