Are you Old School?

[Flex newby]

I'm not even 30 but if it were for my chronological state-of-mind (i can say that since i'm drinkin now) you'd say I'm 60. I love watchin smokey tri-jets take off, and smoke pour out of the radials on their first startup in the morning.
I never lived the 50/60/70s era but even the 80s weren't that bad. I remember living near DCA I'd get to see:
- Fokker 27s (Pilgrem airlines)
- Nord 262s...with the old Turbomecas!!! (anyone even know what that is???)
- Convair 580s in pax service (piedmont)
- Dash 7s
- F-28 (loud!)
- G-II.......without hushkits!!!!!!!!
- 727s galore
- etc etc

I was flying those Nords form '72 to "79 and then the Dash 7 'till 86. Incredible fun. You probably saw the Piedmont YS 11's on the ramp at the same time. It was a fun time in aviation.

 

[aussiefly]

gotta say i really like the L-1011's and most of the DC range of planes. I've always wanted to get my hands on a DC-8/9 and they arnt even that old. Although by todays standards they are pretty ancient.

 

[corpcap]

I really, really enjoy what I do (flying a Lear 45), but NOTHING touches my days as a (very) young DC-3 captain. I hope all of you get to fly something someday that stays with you forever. It's pretty sweet.

 

[FN FAL]

I experienced a plane ride in Save A Connie's Super Constellation...it was grand and jumping out of it was hoot, especially the windmill effect of exiting the aircraft in the prop-wash of engine no 2.

As a plane owner, I enjoyed owning a 320 Skyknight with partners, although there were some pitfalls. Working for a 135 operator the 320 experience came in handy when they upgraded me into the 310R model and the C-340. Also, I had to ferry flight a real early model of the 320 after our FBO recieved it for brokerage purposes.

 

[SoCentralRain]

I really enjoyed my time in the Gulfstream 2. What a sweet, grand, overpowered monster of an airplane.

Operationally, we usually planned our takeoffs taking advantage of this by reducing our takeoff thrust, pulling power back at approx 400 agl in the climb. It was still pretty loud.

I remember fondly my last takeoff in the jet, though. Long runway, short leg to fly. I knew it'd be the last time I ever flew one of these sweet smokers. So I briefed my copilot that it would be a full power takeoff with no power reduction at 400 feet. He loved the idea, too, because he was going to be transitioning to the G-4 in a couple of flights. So we just set the brakes, felt the wheels practically skipping across the pavement as we set max takeoff power, then let her go. The acceleration was typically exhilerating. The noise. The smoke. The fuel flow!

After liftoff, we just cleaned her up and let her go. Cleared almost immediately to FL430, we were there 14.5 minutes later. The flight only lasted 1.1 hours. What a sweet ride.

Cheers,

SCR

 

[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.