How do you survive commuting?

[91100 100 set]

Does anybody who lives within a 3-5 hour drive have their own airplane they commute in? Obviously expensive, just wondering?

JJ

I've often wondered about that as well. Obviously too rich for my regional-sized wallet, and I would imagine that it would be even more dependant on the weather than just driving in alot of places. Unless you've got yourself a decent IFR-equipped, known ice-capable airplane, you just might find yourself weathered in more often than not if you live anywhere but the desert southwest. But it is a charming idea, and I'm sure there are folks that do it.

Just don't wear your uniform while doing it, lest you find yourself the star of someone's avatar. Dipsticking the oil in a 182 in four stripes!

 

[Clutch_Cargo]

I've often wondered about that as well. Obviously too rich for my regional-sized wallet, and I would imagine that it would be even more dependant on the weather than just driving in alot of places. Unless you've got yourself a decent IFR-equipped, known ice-capable airplane, you just might find yourself weathered in more often than not if you live anywhere but the desert southwest. But it is a charming idea, and I'm sure there are folks that do it.

Just don't wear your uniform while doing it, lest you find yourself the star of someone's avatar. Dipsticking the oil in a 182 in four stripes!

I'm fuzzy on the details but remember the Captain (Eastern maybe) that commuted with his light twin? Had to go from, I think, TPA to MIA. Wx was crap but he didn't leave himself enough time to drive it. He was also already in trouble for missing a trip or two previously... so he pressed. Shot an ILS below mins and, if I recall, hit an aircraft holding short. In any case, it was his last flight.

cc

 

[hotwings402]

Its was Tampa. I know a guy in 210 that heard it happen has he was taxing around. I believe the guy was coming from Fort Myers.

http://ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X35148&key=2

 

[Tripower455]

Does anybody who lives within a 3-5 hour drive have their own airplane they commute in? Obviously expensive, just wondering?

JJ

One of our guys does PNS-MCO in a Twin Commanche. Last time I talked to him about it, he was complaining about the cost. If I had his drive (5+ hours), I would be HAPPY to pay whatever it cost to commute in my own airplane.

For me, with my 3 hour drive, it wouldn't really save me any time. By the time I drove 20 minutes to the airport, preflighted the airplane, fly it up to MCO (or Exec), and get a ride over to the airline side, I could have driven and gotten there in about the same time. Then, getting in the airplane after a PM, and flying down to APF and then NOT getting in due to the fog that rolls in 200 nights out of the year, I'd have to go up to Page and sleep in the airplane until dawn.

It's a nice dream, and some guys can pull it off, but with my commute and work schedule, it just doesn't work, even if the cost was the same......

 

[JumpJetter]

One of our guys does PNS-MCO in a Twin Commanche. Last time I talked to him about it, he was complaining about the cost. If I had his drive (5+ hours), I would be HAPPY to pay whatever it cost to commute in my own airplane.

For me, with my 3 hour drive, it wouldn't really save me any time. By the time I drove 20 minutes to the airport, preflighted the airplane, fly it up to MCO (or Exec), and get a ride over to the airline side, I could have driven and gotten there in about the same time. Then, getting in the airplane after a PM, and flying down to APF and then NOT getting in due to the fog that rolls in 200 nights out of the year, I'd have to go up to Page and sleep in the airplane until dawn.

It's a nice dream, and some guys can pull it off, but with my commute and work schedule, it just doesn't work, even if the cost was the same......

I think it might work in the southwest though??? Yeah you got the fog in SOCAL and NORCAL, but that it not year round. SOCAL fog is generally something like 10 OVC, certainly doable in a IFR aircraft equipped with GS.

Twins are too dang expensive! What about a nicely equipped experimental like a Glasair or Lancair? Fast, economical,...make sure the weather is descent, if it's not ....drive.

hmmmmmm.....dreaming is fun.....

 

[rodgerdodger]

wow....

First of all, thanks to everyone for chiming in.... I've got plenty to think about I guess... Still looking for crashpad finding hints, since that would be a big part of the quality of life decision.... has anyone used crewcommute.com or something similar? IS word of mouth the best way to find a place? Also, it seems like drving is the recommended transportation form.... That would get old I think, driving 5hrs just to take a company flight to base. I'd basically be using an off day at each end to travel... Maybe I should reconsider that bid, it sounds like no one thinks their commuting days were worth it?

 

[AA717driver]

I had the good, the bad and the ugly in 16 years of commuting. The best I had it was from IND to STL. I had 11 flights a day between TWA (on line) and SWA (off line). Only once did I have to buy a ticket--full fare for $99 bucks on SWA.

The bad was IND to EWR on CAL, hop into the Princeton Airporter and hope the Belt Parkway wasn't screwed up and I'd make check in at JFK.

The ugly was commuting on reserve on USAir from IND to LGA. I made many trips home on FEX and Ryan Int'l from JFK to IND.

Oh, yeah, from 9/11 to my furlough in March '04 I drove I-70 from IND to STL rather than get stuck in STL for one more night than I absolutely had to.

Now, I drive 15 minutes down to the hanger or the airport to airline. Much lower stress.TC

 

[TriJet]

If it makes you feel any better about commuting. I commute to Hong Kong from the west coast. Couple times a month.

 

[Pilot_Ryan]

First of all, thanks to everyone for chiming in.... I've got plenty to think about I guess... Still looking for crashpad finding hints, since that would be a big part of the quality of life decision.... has anyone used crewcommute.com or something similar? IS word of mouth the best way to find a place? Also, it seems like drving is the recommended transportation form.... That would get old I think, driving 5hrs just to take a company flight to base. I'd basically be using an off day at each end to travel... Maybe I should reconsider that bid, it sounds like no one thinks their commuting days were worth it?

I commute to work for a pt. 91 aircraft management company. I have my own airplane and use that for the commute most of the time. It's a 100nm trip that takes about 2 hours by car if the traffic's not bad (early morning) but anytime after 1:00PM in the afternoon the drive will take at least 3.5 and maybe 4.5 hours due to traffic. By comparison, in the airplane it's about 1.5 hours door to door (including travel time to/from my home airport.)

The drive through traffic is absolutely miserable and just really takes its toll on me. I arrive home exhausted and irritable. And mine is one of the easier commutes I've read about on this thread. I'd definitely give it some thought in your situation. Everyone has their own limit... you'll discover yours soon enough. The airplane commute is much easier but very expensive and hard on the wallet.

Commuting sucks. Anything that can be done to avoid it, should be done.