Are you Old School?

[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!

 

[Dubya]

Just chiming in with a resounding agreement! My first old bird trip was in a Beech 18.

I was lucky enough to go get my tailwheel endorsement in a PT17 Stearman. Open cockpit, radial engine...what a joy.

I did steep turns in that Stearman around Jack Nicklaus putting in front of a large crowd on one of his new greens north of IND! I wonder if he remembers.

Even the old jets are more fun to watch. You can tell that an older B-52 or a F-4 went by 30 minutes after they passed!

W

 

[coloneldan]

If I could get the same pay, I would only fly Cubs, Champs, Stearmans, Travelaires, (The ones with 2 wings.) Wacos, maybe a Pitts or two. If the weather was bad, like maybe it might rain, maybe a Staggerwing. If the weather was really bad, like I might accidentally get in a cloud, a twin beech, DC-3, or C-46. If the weather was really, REALLY bad, like I was going to have to fly an approach, I'd just have to cancel the trip and have a beer. With a few exceptions, I wouldn't fly anything made after 1945, and the fewer dials, buttons and knobs, the better.

Anybody know where I can find a job like that?

 

[VNugget]

If I could get the same pay, I would only fly Cubs, Champs, Stearmans, Travelaires, (The ones with 2 wings.) Wacos, maybe a Pitts or two. If the weather was bad, like maybe it might rain, maybe a Staggerwing. If the weather was really bad, like I might accidentally get in a cloud, a twin beech, DC-3, or C-46. If the weather was really, REALLY bad, like I was going to have to fly an approach, I'd just have to cancel the trip and have a beer. With a few exceptions, I wouldn't fly anything made after 1945, and the fewer dials, buttons and knobs, the better.

Anybody know where I can find a job like that?

I know one, it's called retirement!

Save me a spot if you get there

 

[Goose Egg]

I like airplanes.

 

[Gorilla]

OK, I'll agree, radial engines are very cool, but how can an F-86 NOT be romantic? The F-86 is almost a contemporary to the great WW2 piston fighters. Jets can have character and appeal as well.