GA is priceless

The only downside of the trip is that it was in fact to RACINE, not exactly
the most scenic world attraction.

Actually, Racine's harbor is now as beautiful as any I've visited.
They've spent millions of dollars obliterating any trace of their
industrial past -- at least along the lakeshore. With the man-made
peninsula, and a now-thriving downtown, it's not at all the pit it was
when I was a kid. (Think coal piles and green water...)

Now, drive ten blocks inland, and you'd better have your body armor on
-- but that's true of every formerly-industrial city in America.

And thanks for the offer! We'll be back to see you next summer, I'll
bet, assuming Milwaukee throws another airshow?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Viperdoc wrote:
at Waukesha (also not a great tourist attraction)


Hey I flew an Arrow there once to see a Maynard Ferguson concert at the
High School, in about 2002 or 2003.

I had to drive to Oregon a couple of months ago. I hated every minute of it.
12 hours to get there and 13 to get back. I flew the Bonaza a few weeks
earlier 3.5 there and 5 to get back. I had some stong winds and we stopped
to eat..I wont drive again.
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
We just returned from a quick, overnight flight to Wisconsin, to attend
a holiday gathering of family and friends, and I simply couldn't help
but remark on the incredible utility and convenience of GA.

In 90 minutes (as opposed to 5.5 hours) we were parked on the ramp in
Racine, plugging Atlas in for the night. Twenty minutes later, we were
sipping egg nog and enjoying the warmth of the holiday spirit with
Mary's family.

Today, we slept in late, enjoyed a late brunch with friends, and flew
home in 100 minutes. The kids were back home, playing with their new
games, 20 minutes after we landed.

3 hours and 10 minutes of enjoyable, XM-radio-enhanced flight, versus
11 hours of mind-numbing driving through aggravating Chicago-area
traffic. God almighty, I can't understand for the life of me why there
isn't an airplane in every American garage...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Aluckyguess writes:

I had to drive to Oregon a couple of months ago. I hated every minute of it.
12 hours to get there and 13 to get back. I flew the Bonaza a few weeks
earlier 3.5 there and 5 to get back. I had some stong winds and we stopped
to eat..I wont drive again.

Even in thunderstorms or driving snow?

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

Jay Honeck writes:

We just returned from a quick, overnight flight to Wisconsin, to attend
a holiday gathering of family and friends, and I simply couldn't help
but remark on the incredible utility and convenience of GA.

Had the weather been bad, GA would have been useless to you. General
aviation isn't consistently useful and convenient enough to be used as
reliable transportation.

3 hours and 10 minutes of enjoyable, XM-radio-enhanced flight, versus
11 hours of mind-numbing driving through aggravating Chicago-area
traffic. God almighty, I can't understand for the life of me why there
isn't an airplane in every American garage...

Be glad there isn't, or driving through Chicago-area traffic would
seem like a picnic in comparison.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

We just returned from a quick, overnight flight to Wisconsin, to attend
a holiday gathering of family and friends, and I simply couldn't help
but remark on the incredible utility and convenience of GA.

Had the weather been bad, GA would have been useless to you. General
aviation isn't consistently useful and convenient enough to be used as
reliable transportation.

True, but irrelevant, since no one claims otherwise. Most times the
weather cooperates, but until you get to the Pilatus turboprop level or
higher, weather will control your flying. (And even then you're not
invincible.)

Mary and I have flown our family coast to coast, all VFR, for over 12
years. The key is to be flexible in your planning, don't push the
limits of your aircraft and ability, and view the journey as the
adventure -- not the destination.

GA is much like motorcyle riding. You don't want to do it when the
weather sucks, but when the weather is nice, there is simply no better
way to go.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck writes:

True, but irrelevant, since no one claims otherwise.

You said "the incredible utility and convenience of GA," but GA is
neither convenient nor useful, specifically because of issues like
weather that make it impossible to depend on GA.

This is why commercial aviation has invested so much over the decades
in making all-weather flying possible, safe, and practical.

Most times the weather cooperates, but until you get to the Pilatus
turboprop level or higher, weather will control your flying.

Exactly. So it's not very useful or convenient. You cannot depend on
your aircraft to get you somewhere on a specific date at a specific
time (or even within a span of several days).

Mary and I have flown our family coast to coast, all VFR, for over 12
years. The key is to be flexible in your planning, don't push the
limits of your aircraft and ability, and view the journey as the
adventure -- not the destination.

Naturally ... but that is a tacit acknowledgement of the fact that GA
cannot be depended upon for transportation. Cars and buses and
commercial airlines can be seen as modes of transportation; GA is
still largely a fair-weather hobby. If GA allows you to actually
travel in a useful way, that's just a happy (and occasional)
coincidence.

GA is much like motorcyle riding. You don't want to do it when the
weather sucks, but when the weather is nice, there is simply no better
way to go.

Yes. But I was taught not to depend on motorcycles for
transportation, for exactly this reason.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

Mxsmanic wrote:

Most times the weather cooperates, but until you get to the Pilatus
turboprop level or higher, weather will control your flying.

Exactly. So it's not very useful or convenient. You cannot depend on
your aircraft to get you somewhere on a specific date at a specific
time (or even within a span of several days).

I have seen the St Louis Arch, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon
(twice), Devil's Tower twice, Mt Rushmore, Death Valley, Saguaro Natl
Monument, White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns and more in the last four
years while flying only VFR.

Sounds pretty useful to me. Can you claim to have driven to a
similar number of sites (same distances) in the same period?

Ron Lee

Ron Lee writes:

I have seen the St Louis Arch, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon
(twice), Devil's Tower twice, Mt Rushmore, Death Valley, Saguaro Natl
Monument, White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns and more in the last four
years while flying only VFR.

Aviation is good for sightseeing.

Sounds pretty useful to me.

Useful for sightseeing, not for transportation.

When I drive a car, I do so to get from point A to point B, not to
admire the sights along the way. That's what makes it transportation.
Similarly, I don't book a seat on a commercial flight so that I can
admire the Rockies outside the window.

Can you claim to have driven to a
similar number of sites (same distances) in the same period?

Why would I want to?

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

"Ron Lee" wrote

Sounds pretty useful to me. Can you claim to have driven to a
similar number of sites (same distances) in the same period?

Do you really want to be drawn into responding to this putz?
--
Jim in NC