Your favorite regional airport to fly to

[chperplt]

I spent a few years flying in DAB instructing at ERAU. 10 crash and bounces or 5 IAPs in your nice new 172 does not compare to 8 legs in a twisted 1900.

What's the longest any of your 1900 drivers (other than commutair who have relatively new airplanes) have been able to hand off fly your airplane? My record is about 20 seconds before the b!tch starts going one way or another.

 

[sabreliner]

Re: ...

As far as DAB, ERAU is the main tenant at the airport. DAB tends to make our lives easier since they deal with us ALL DAY. You may be on your eighth leg, but we're on our 12th pattern, 5th instrument approach, or 10th landing in the last TWO HOURS and we've had to slow behind Phoenix East twice doing 65 down final. So, I'm guessing that your one go around isn't killing anyone. I've only seen one A/C go around since I've been here, and I've been here over two years.

I still see how it's a pain, though. I couldn't imagine trying to keep my cool while doing 140 down final behind a Skychicken. Nonetheless, you need to remember your GA roots. DAB is the third busiest airport in the country as far as operations are concerned, behind ATL and ORD. So, I'll be there someday as well, and I'll curse the Skychicks on final. Until then, give us some room! I'm sure you were the slow-a$$ student once!

It's good to see more airline traffic here, though. Brings the prices down a bit. Hope you can handle the hassle. Once you're on the ground, it's a picnic!

Go faster!!! You can actually fly an ILS at more than 90 kts in a 172. If I flew ILS's at ref plus 10 in my Brasilia all day long, Atlanta appch would send me out to hold for the rest of the day.

You really don't know what it's like to go almost all the way to Sanford on a VFR day because you have to follow 5 Cessna's doing practice ILS's at 90 kts. All the while tooling along at a very slow 150kts getting hammered by the turbulence. With a lot of people in the back getting close to being sick. Sorry, but I believe there should be a little priority (within reason) for Air Carrier ops.

And yes, I spent 1000 hours bouncing around the traffic pattern, so I know it can suck. But, a go around or 25 mile final isn't acceptable behind training traffic, especially on VFR days.

Also, remember that a go around costs my company a TON of money, and we need to save all that we can these days so that hopefully we'll still be around when you come looking for a job.

 

[JBcrjca]

Sabreliner is right on the mark... I don't think any of us have forgotten where we came from. I remember practicing approaches in C-172s back in the day, and if at all possible, I would volunteer to break off the approach if faster traffic was breathing down my neck. A Cessna getting resequenced doesn't cost much $$, and there's not 50-170 pax looking at their watches wondering if they'll be 'on time'. These days the airlines need to save as much money as they can, and one go around can burn hundreds or even 1000+ pounds of fuel.

We did a go-around last week at PNS because some numb-nuts in an L-19 cut too close to the final, giving us an RA....burned about 500-600 lbs in the pattern. All of our fuel conservation effort (single-engine taxi, .74M at FL410, etc) was completely wasted. Well, I'll still hope for the best at DAB!

 

[cl-65link]

If you want to see some go-arounds come on up to MSP. Thought I'd seen it all until I saw a 747! doing s-turns on final a few years back. NW 747 captain to MSP tower "do you know how much money this go-around is going to cost the company".

 

[Alaskaairlines]

This is very interesting guys! Keep it coming! A place where you can see quite a few go arounds (weather/traffic) is ANC. I have seen quite a few of them - mostly all 747's like Asiana, China, Atlas, UPS, etc.......
Most of them is traffic on the rwy, some seem to take all the time in the world - land and basically roll down to the end of the 10500 rwy......?

 

[Heavy Set]

I spent a month in Wichita one night........

 

[the turtle]

Just last week I was lucky enough to witness a Gemini (Pollar?) 747 do a short field landing at CharlieSouth. He landed on 3...after shooting a VOR/DME approach, VASI inop...made the last taxiway left before reaching 33....he probably used 3,000 feet of runway. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Reverse thrust (it was light mist, wet runway...man, it was really wipping), he held the nose off...almost to a full stop. Even tower(and those guys watch C-17's there all day) said that it was one of the most impressive things he's ever seen. No way he had any pax/cargo on board. Too bad his POI didn't get a chance to see it!!!

 

[T-Gates]

I spent a few years flying in DAB instructing at ERAU. 10 crash and bounces or 5 IAPs in your nice new 172 does not compare to 8 legs in a twisted 1900.

What's the longest any of your 1900 drivers (other than commutair who have relatively new airplanes) have been able to hand off fly your airplane? My record is about 20 seconds before the b!tch starts going one way or another.

I can get up about a minute in a good D model. But I flew a few that flew like the dam wing was on backwards. I just hated when the electric trim was MEL'ed as well as the yaw-damper. What a fun day that makes!

Long Live the Mighty Beech!

--03M

 

[SilentDave]

Yaw-damper?

 

[Russ]

San Diego, beautiful approach on a nice day.

 

[Freightdog75]

AVL - Ashville, NC. On a sunny fall day when all the leaves in the mountains are changing color. HXD - Hilton Head, SC. Right in the coast, beachs, babes, the whole nine yards. He11 of a lot of unbelievable golfing down there too.

 

[acaTerry]

ACA doesn't serve it anymore, but no doubt my favorite was PHF (Newport News, VA). I like Roanoke, VA for small airports. For big ones, I guess Cleveland or Pittsburgh. Except the ground crews at PIT are lousy. CRW, right on General. My first time there it was all the way to approach mins and what a screwy scene to adjust to when you see it! It's an FAR 121 special arpt isn't it?

 

[SilentDave]

Kalispell, Montana is pretty awesome. Coming up through the valley over Flat Head Lake is a heck of a site. It's already been mentioned, but Missoula, MT is beautiful too. We don't go there anymore but Mountain Home, Arkansas was always fun. A little interesting at night with the VOR A and a 4 degree VASI (keeps you out of the power lines) to a 5000' x 60' runway. Beautiful during the day, great pizza, and some of the nicest darn people you will ever meet. Ah, the good ole days when we could drive to work!

 

[Tug Driver]

MBS

boring, simple, friendly....

need i say more

 

[Nindiri]

Not exactly a regional airport, but I always enjoy flying into Mexico City. Lots of mountains, great views, and challenging arrivals including a 110 degree turn to final. Good CRM is definitely required.

Controllers and ground crews do a great job, and it's a great layover. As everyone knows, of course, Latin babes are the most beautiful women in the world.

 

[tarp]

I know its cold and frosty in the NE right now, but my vote is for all our northern cities.

Burlington, VT is a beautiful approach and nice overnight. All spring and summer on clear days, tower and approach couldn't care less about your flight path - so you tool over the lake or the mountains a little bit and then just do a visual to landing.

Portland, ME - Harbor Visual Rwy29 going around the little island up there with all the boats in the water. Short final is messed up with all those commercial boats, but I'm usually looking at the runway at that time. Great overnight - what a beautiful downtown and that prommenade walk/running path around the point is just fantastic.

Nantucket, RI - It's just cool to do the summer trips in there. If company could only work out a 16-18 hour layover, it would be perfect.

Bangor, ME - What? Sorry, I'm a golf-a-holic and our hotel is just a 3/4 mile walk to the public golf course. Rent clubs and play for $35. I've died and gone to regional heaven. Hey, if they're only going to pay me $33/hr(sic) and I have to work like a dog, then this is good stuff.

 

[Mayday911]

Jackson Hole at Sunset.

 

[LearLove]

Key West first timer

Just flew a Duke into Key West with some friends. Second time in KW first time flyin in, Awsome view, I like the old missle silos. We stopped in Marathon, that was pretty cool too. Were going to try to get a reservation on that caravan to head out to the Dry Torguas (sp?) tomorrow. Key West Seaplanes I think it is.

 

[Desiday]

I used to flight instruct in Marathon. I also flew tours around
Key West. What an awesome view. Marathon is also where I did my primary flight training. It doesn't get any sweeter than that!

 

[flipflyr]

SLW

Gotta love Saltillo, Mexico (SLW).

Come in to do a DME arc to intercept a localizer southbound then break off the approach to circle and land to the north. Airport notes state: "Caution high rising terrain East of the field, circling West of the field is prohibited"... Kind of a catch 22 situation. Just keep your circle within 3-5 miles on the East side and you're all set.

When you leave the next morning you look at all the mountains around you and it gives you little goosebumps thinking how close you were the night before to the "cumulus granite"...