Downtown Boston via GA

Gary

Gary

En-Route
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
3,263
Location
Harleysville, PA
Display Name
Gary
Home Airfield
Quakertown PA (UKT)
It's that time for a college visit for my daughter (you think aviation is expensive :hairraise:). So its off to Boston on November 16, returning the next day in the late afternoon. If the weather is cooperative, I'd much rather take the Cherokee vs. doing the drive or Amtrak. Looks as though there are two good choices other than Logan, either Hanscom (BED) or Norwood (OWD). Both will work fine and both have rental cars available. As an alternative to the car, do either of these have readily accessible public transport to get downtown? After perusing the MBTA maps and schedules it appears that OWD has a station, Rt 125?, not too far away. Is this a doable walk? Any other tips from a local would be appreciated.

Gary
 
Use OWD. Hanscom's a bit of a pain in the Butt.

The station by OWD is, I believe (my college days in boston were almost 20 years ago) a commuter rail station so it may not run in a fashion that helps. By all means give OWD a call and they'll set you straight.

Which schools is she considering?

I attended:
BU
MIT
Berklee

and dated girls from
BU
MIT
Berklee
Simmons
Northeastern
Harvard/Radcliffe.
 
Gary, you are wise not to fly to Logan. If they hadn't waived fees for Angel Flight, it would have cost me something like $100 for the privilege. I may be UNDERestimating the cost. AFAIK at Norwood they have some security hassles (escorts to/from plane), but that's probably the most convenient one.

Whatever you do -- DON'T tell the admissions officer that you flew there in your plane. Doesn't look good when applying for aid, don't you know! Those folks don't know a Cherokee 140 from a 747. You have a plane? You must be rich!:rolleyes:
 
I'm pretty sure there will be less hassles from OWD. BED can be a royal pain in the butt....it's very busy, people don't speak very highly of either Signature or Jet, and there are landing fees. However, the controllers are great at BED. The controllers are really good at OWD too, but BED's are the best.
There's probably a landing fee at OWD, but I'm almost positive it will be less than at BED.
The last time I checked about landing at BOS, I asked how much it would cost for a C182 to land, drop off a passenger, and leave right away for a total of less than 5 minutes at the FBO.
The answer was 180 bucks.
 
Definitely Norwood. Reasonable fees and no air-side delays. Get a cab or talk the FBO into giving you a lift to the Norwood railroad station. That line runs directly downtown to South station. You can find the schedule on the MBTA website.

Jon (former northeasterner)
 
Thanks for the replies - looks like OWD will be the destination. Probably will just get the rental car since it gives us more flexibility for getting around.

Will be a "highly educational" week, Syracuse on Monday then up to OWD for a look-see at Emerson on Friday. Hopefully the weather will be cooperative, neither of us want to make the drive or take the train.

"Whatever you do -- DON'T tell the admissions officer that you flew there in your plane. Doesn't look good when applying for aid, don't you know! Those folks don't know a Cherokee 140 from a 747. You have a plane? You must be rich!" - Yes Andrew, I've been through the application process before with our son, it really won't matter a whole lot if they know I own a plane or not, your financial picture is pretty much laid out when you fill out the Federal FAFSA form or the equivalent form specific to the college. There is no way we'd be eligible for any type of Federal financial aid, except loans, so we have to rely on the colleges' aid program, different rules which are a closely held secret. I'm convinced that if a student has good grades, shows a real interest in the school and it's a good match (the school would like the student to attend) and the parents can pay an appreciable portion of the tuition/room/board, the college will do it's best to help out with the finances.

Gary
 
FWIW, I know Hanscom is a pain in the butt, but there is a bus which stops right in front of the civil air terminal and goes to Alewife T station. I took it regularly when I was a flight student living in Cambridge with no car. It comes and goes once an hour if I recall. (Info is 2 years old)

--Kath
 
kath said:
FWIW, I know Hanscom is a pain in the butt, but there is a bus which stops right in front of the civil air terminal and goes to Alewife T station. I took it regularly when I was a flight student living in Cambridge with no car. It comes and goes once an hour if I recall. (Info is 2 years old)

--Kath
Click to expand...

Hi Kath!

Thanks for the info, every bit helps!

You may remember Nicole, we flew out to a get-together on Martha's Vineyard (Katama) a couple of years ago! She thought the whle trip was "really cool"!, high praise from a teenager. She's a bit more grown up now, but she definately remembers you! Educated, pilot, physicist and was really impressed when you moved to Alaska!


Gary
 
kath said:
FWIW, I know Hanscom is a pain in the butt, but there is a bus which stops right in front of the civil air terminal and goes to Alewife T station. I took it regularly when I was a flight student living in Cambridge with no car. It comes and goes once an hour if I recall. (Info is 2 years old)

--Kath
Click to expand...
I didn't know you were an FA! Cool!
 
Yep - Music production at Bzerklee from 84-88. Then when confronted with the reality of wages as an apprentice engineer and the debt on student loans, I changed course and ran to the Coast Guard.

What was your principal instrument? Mine was voice until the last year, when I inherited a set of bagpipes and made them find me an instructor. You haven't suffered until you've heard "Autumn Leaves" on Bagpipes.
 
LOL Tim organ was my major and piano my minor.
Historical performance practice consentration.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top