My g/f is flying from Sacto to LAX tonight. I'll find out how long everything took her. Luckily no flying for me until a DC trip in Sept followed the next week by Utah. I'm sure the Mormons have me on a list...

The LDS have everyone on their list...:) Hell even folks who already passed are not safe. Ever hear of baptisism of the dead? That fact that you don't drink is just a bonus.

Funny - I was supposed to have flown to Sacramento today on business (to review a preliminary set of drawings with a new client prior to them being issued for bid) but I was given an "attaboy" by the department director today because the client reviewed the drawings last week and had no questions or comments at all and felt they were fine to issue for bid as-was - on the first draft. :D :D :D Meant there was no reason to go up to Sacramento. Bonus is it saved the client a bunch of money on reimbursable travel expenses, so we looked double good. . . Anyway I digress.

I guess my desire to go "above and beyond" saved me a day of hell dealing with the nighmarish air travel system. . . I suppose all those extra hours spent on that drawing set was worth something. . . ;)

I'm flying to ROK next week. For years I have never checked a bag as it makes catching last minute alternate flights impossible plus once I'm at the destination I hate waiting for luggage. I'm all for safety and willingly submit to any/all searches with a smile. This coming from a guy who travels at least 3x/month - used to be every week. God I hate airplanes...

The air travel system is ridiculous.

Maybe the insanity of it all will be a push to finally look at the feasability of high-speed rail or other intermediate-to-long distance options.

Given a choice, I'd just assume fly myself nowadays - given the price of gas or of plane tickets and the general inconvenience of it, it almost makes sense! Gotta' get that biennial flight review thing done first though.

There was a mass exodus from the office this morn after the news broke. I spoke to one of the guys flying back to Dallas. He said security at Newark wasn't bad....1/2 hour total. Had to trash all his carry-on toiletries.

Flying has become less and less practical over the years... time for innovation in transportation.

the g/f just texted me. she's now an hour delayed. If I were at home waiting for her I'd be bummed, but not much I can do up in Big Bear :p

I'm flying to Portland next week. Normally I carry on my demo kit - has about 20 viles filled with all sorts of examples of the various chemicals used in lubricants. I even have samples of powders (teflon, graphite, moly and calcium sulfonate). It is darn official looking and I have all the MSDS's for the items in my kit but if you didn't know any better it looks like a wiz bang chemistry set. I have flown (carry-on) with it for years. Even after 9-11. I think I will either check it in my luggage or Fed Ex it to myself.

I was always surprised I could get through TSA with it. When ever they questioned we about it I would conduct a mini lube seminar. Sometimes the other TSAs would stop what they were doing and come over an listen (much to the dismay of the other passangers!) but mostly the TSA I was talking to got a glazed look in his/ger eye and let me pass.

So we tell the terrorists it’s okay to bring baby formula on board. Good one. Oh but you have to taste it. That will stop them. There is NO WAY someone who is going to be CHUM in an hour would take a sip of peroxide disguised as baby formula. :rolleyes:

I'm going to New York next week for 2 days.

I can use the shampoo at the hotel...

I can buy a cheap can of shaving cream and toothpaste even.....

But I use an expensive concealer......which is liquid.

This sucks.

This is great for my industry. For every terrorist threat, every TSA inconvenience, the market for personal aircraft and business jets increases. It's a big part of the reason that most aircraft companies are close to a year behind on production for most models. Thanks terrorists, you just made it easier to find a job when I graduate.

the terrorists have made small airfields very busy. people with planes avoiding commercial .

Damn straight. The more silly this becomes, the more seriously I look at actually considering buying myself a Mooney or Cherokee Warrior or something. . . I've got a lot of experience and time in airplanes and as time goes one it really is becoming more and more justifiable. Some of the costs can be offset by leasing back to a flight school, too.

How about a 235 knot Columbia 400 or Mooney Ovation Acclaim? Oh, if I only had $600,000 to spare.

The price on the Honda Jet is supposed to be $750K. When it is available I will seriously consider one.

How practical is it to use your own light plane (prop) instead of airlines?

I don't know anything about this, but I'm wondering -

- 200mph cruising speed and limited range, doesn't that mean that flying coast-to-coast (e.g. LA-NY) becomes an all-day project? Would it be something like 10+ hours in the air and 3+ hours on the ground?

- How much/how often does weather keep you on the ground? Say, for every 10 LA-NY trips, would you end up cancelling 1 of them, or is it 2 or 4?

- If you're a family of four, do two of you have to be pilots? Is it safe/recommended to be flying w/ only 1 qualified pilot?

- Will the sorts of light prop planes you guys are talking about carry four people plus, say, 200# luggage?

Maybe this episode will break the back of the tyranny of carry on luggage. 90lb ladies with 80lb roll cases + laptop + handbag. Uggg.

Time to start travelling like civilized people again..

My BIL has a fractional ownership company. Most of his business is executives and reasonably well off individuals who don't want the BS of dealing with commercial airlines and airports. You buy a piece of a plane and use it when you need it. Plane and pilots come and pick you up at the nearest small airport and fly you on your schedule. What's not to like? I'm sure his business will be looking up after this.

The Diamond Twin Star is a very cool plane, and with all the tech it is quite a bargain. Cheapest FADEC plane I've seen. But, in my imagine world, I would like a 4 seater.

VLJs are very cool, and will open up the jet market to an entirely new customer base. For an individual though, it might be overkill. In many cases a turboprop is cheaper and easier to operate, if you can spare a little more time to get there.