Are you Old School?

[FFFO]

flying freight in the twin beech brought me the best years of my life so far...
round engines are an aphrodesiac...

 

[rchcfi]

I'm 40ish also, and I couldn't agree more. I read all the threads here with guys talking about how they are better pilots because the airplane they fly is bigger or faster than the one someone else flies. I couldn't care less. I just like to fly, and some of the best flights I have had are at 6 or 8 thousand feet at 160kts. I have had the chance to fly a C-46 over the Carribean on a starlight night with the exhaust stacks glowing and the moon reflecting off the water. I'll take another night like that over any flight in a corporate jet at .8 mach and 40,000'. But that's just me, and I'm sure a few other guys who have felt the difference.

Cat,

You must be my long lost twin seperated at birth!

I am a oldie freak! I saw a DC-8 take off the other day and actually had to delay my departure to take a video of it from my digital camera. Two weeks ago there was a P-51 fly in at my home airport. My boss wondered what I was doing at work on a weekend. I told him how that Merlin sound was the ONLY engine sound that makes me get goosebumps, and after staring at me in shock for a moment, kind of understood.

I currently fly 30 year old airplanes and love every minute of it! I have a few friends flying for the regionals who wonder why I didn't go airlines. After I tell them about the 5x salary I make compared to them and the fact that I enjoy actually flying instead of pushing buttons, they sort of get it. Not to mention 90% of my time is PIC instead of all SIC.

I keep telling people that I hated flying the Citation, as it was SO boring. The only reason I'd do it again is for the fact that is has a higher salary within my company. But give me round engines anytime, many back country strips, and I'm content!

 

[81Horse]

... when the DC3 pulls up and spews an oily mixture out of it's engines Now that's cool. ...

That's not an "oily mixture" -- that's Doug honey!

 

[Waldom]

Like I tell all the "shiney jet" fans; there's no romance to an engine that whines. On engine start, you have a sense of satisfaction when starting a large radial engine on a cold night with nary a backfire or beltch. The same can't be said for pressing a start button and bringing a fuel lever up at 15%.

 

[Lead Sled]

I'm old school and proud of it. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to the Pima Air Museum in Tucson - if those airplanes could only talk. I used to spend a lot of time in Kingman AZ. There was a time when you could walk out in the "back 40" and kick up all sorts of stuff out laying in the weeds from the days that they used the airport to scrap out a bunch of WWII aircraft. I also get progressively more irratated with the unlimited air racing crowd that chops up and races the vintage WWII aircraft. They're not making those airplanes any more and it's a shame to see them clipping the wings of the few that remain. What's the point? Oh well.

'Sled

 

[onthestreet]

I luv round motors and clouds of oily smoke, but I've got to break up this love fest. Overstressed recips do NOT appeal to my sense of self preservation as it relates to my career. I'd love to have a T6 or D17 for fun, but for the everyday - make the schedule- career, I think that I'll stick to round motors that burn Jet A. My goal is to retire, healthy, at age 60; and statistically, turbine powered modern airframes offer the best chance to reach that goal.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

I'm old school by default, I STILL fly an F-27.

I was talking to a Fed the other day. When talking about the F27, he said
he'd flown in one once, and it scared the hell out of him. I never noticed.

Here's to old school.

:beer:

CE

 

[AirBadger]

I like all airplanes. I've never "not enjoyed" an airplane. Though I do really love the loud whine of old turbojet engines as they spool up.

 

[Lilah]

C402, you will see in my profile I have flown most of the stuff you list, the DC series, the Electra, flown with engineers, lots of round engine time and I like you have the disease. However I get to live my dream and will be flying a C-47 (DC-3) to Oshkosh next month.

That's really too bad you couldn't make it this month. There's a big airshow there, you might want to look into it and adjust your plans accordingly. It's a pretty neat show, and if you're going to be flying a DC-3 to OSH, that'd be a good time to go. Let me know if you put the floats on it and make it out to the seaplane base, you'll be an even bigger hit.

Lilah

 

[Klako]

The ultimate flying machine, I would vote for the bent-wing F4U Corsair.

 

[pilotyip]

Lilah, when I posted last month, next month was this month. July 27th is the big day, and I am classified as a high performance warbird because I can fly at a speed greater than 135 KTS IAS. Orbit War bird Island until called into the landing pattern.

 

[Spooky 2]

Real Old School

Well I guess I'm both. Old and Old School. Flew the DC4 M404,1049H, DC6B, L188, for starters. Didn't seem like that much fun at the time, but looking back I guess I should's been more appreciative for the experience. Never flew the DC3 and have not even ridden in one which to me, seems kina odd now.
Flew a Comet 4C once upon a time but that's to long a story for here.

 

[John Pennekamp]

I agree with a lot of what y'all said, but it's a lot more than all that.

Back in the day, flying was a big deal. People dressed up. People acted respectfully. Pilots were looked up to. Stewerdesses were lovely and classy and beautiful. It was a glamourous job. Dinner was served on fine china, with actual silverware, and it was worth eating. Flying was a big deal.

Nowadays, it's the greyhound bus crowd wearing cut offs and flip flops, carrying their worldly posessions in a garbage bag. They criticize your landing on the way out. They are mean to your FA (who is most likely past her prime). Airlines require passengers to pay for drinks, snacks, and food. People trash the cabin. Anyone can fly.

What I long for is not the aircraft of the good 'ol days, but the attitude. I love my airplane... it's state of the art, but I miss the days when flying was special.

And I'm convinced it's never coming back. Maybe I'm just an old fart anyhow.

 

[Geronimo4497]

Unfortunatley it is true, the good ole days will never return. America has experienced a great amount of economic growth due to cheaper ticket prices, but the people that provide that service have suffered greatly.

Come over to the fractional world; most of the passengers are very classy and respectful.

 

[John Pennekamp]

Come over to the fractional world; most of the passengers are very classy and respectful.

Thanks for the invitation, but I'm too dam old to start over and be an aerial chauffer again. Been there, done that. Corporate aviation has it's downfalls too, but it's great if the boss is good. Y'all fly some nice equipment these days too. Enjoy and take care.

 

[sky37d]

When I was doing my Multi-Engine training in Dallas, there was someone working on a type rating for a DC-3. Everytime it landed, everyone stopped what they were doing. It was so cool to see it land, they'd keep the tail up for quite a long ways, then let it settle in just before they wanted to turn.

 

[Lilah]

Lilah, when I posted last month, next month was this month. July 27th is the big day, and I am classified as a high performance warbird because I can fly at a speed greater than 135 KTS IAS. Orbit War bird Island until called into the landing pattern.

It looks like you posted this month, although you might get some slack if you were in AK, HI or close to the date line.

Also, I find it interesting that a person can be classified as a high performance warbird, are you a perigrin falcon? If so, you type rather well.

Are you making any progress with putting floats on your DC-3?

I miss the days of high speed taxis from one side of YIP to the other, just below V1.

Cheers,

Lilah

 

[pilotyip]

I forgot it was Saturday, since I was going to work anyway.

 

[CE402]

I appreciate all of the responses....good to know that there's an old school club out there.

Pilotyip.....that trip sounds great....enjoy. Nothing like a DC-3, that's for sure.

 

[TrafficInSight]

Q: Why do radial engines spew so much oil?

A: To mark their territory.

Vess, what are you doing? We need the oil!


I'm so old school they tore the school down!