Skylane not available--worth it in a Skyhawk?

Would you do this mission GA or airlines/car rental

  • Yes

    Votes: 29 80.6%

  • Yes, but it will be slow and a bit cramped

    Votes: 6 16.7%

  • No--a bit too slow, and cramped

    Votes: 1 2.8%

  • No--too costly

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    36
  • Poll closed .
spiderweb

spiderweb

Final Approach
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Feb 22, 2005
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Display name:
Ben
Mission is fly myself and two others from KFDK - KBOS. 350 NM, 3:15.

Stay two days, then:

KBOS - 7B2 (Northampton, MA). 74 NM, 45 mins.

Stay two days there, then:

7B2 - KFDK. 291 NM, 2:40.

Worthwhile in rented 172? Estimated cost GA: $1,000. Estimated cost airlines and car rental: $700


Notes:
  • No airline service to Northampton.
  • Nearest commercial airport is Bradley, and a 1.5 hour drive to destination in a rental.
  • If unable to complete mission with GA, plan is flight to Boston, and rent car for trip to Northampton, returning to Maryland from Boston.
 
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I'd pay the difference in a heartbeat. Our family farm was ~300 nm, and I was forced to fly the 172 on one occasion when the other planes were busy. Time difference wasn't all that great from the 210 and convenience of private vs commercial (or driving) was great as usual.

spiderweb said:
Mission is fly myself and two others from KFDK - KBOS. 350 NM, 3:15.

Stay two days, then:

KBOS - 7B2 (Northampton, MA). 74 NM, 45 mins.

Stay two days there, then:

7B2 - KFDK. 291 NM, 2:40.

Worthwhile in rented 172? Estimated cost GA: $1,000. Estimated cost airlines and car rental: $700



Notes:
  • No airline service to Northampton.
  • Nearest commercial airport is Bradley, and a 1.5 hour drive to destination in a rental.
  • If unable to complete mission with GA, plan is flight to Boston, and rent car for trip to Northampton, returning to Maryland from Boston.
Click to expand...
 
I'd fly the 172 in a heartbeat. Any extra cost will be more than offset by:
1: The fun
2: The flexible schedule
3: The fun
4: The proud feeling of being the pilot instead of one of the sheep.
5: Did I mention the fun and excitement, or of not being treated like sheep?

PS, I will be 60 years old soon, and I still find flying GA is fun and exciting and is one of the things that makes me want to reach 70 (or 80 or 90). And even though I have recently dropped around 35#s, I am still around 225 and a Cessna 172 fits me perfectly.
 
For $100 a piece you get to avoid the airlines??? I don't get it, there's a question as to the value?
 
Fly the 172!

No other options in aircraft Ben?
 
I don't fully understand the question. Are you asking whether you should go GA vs. commercial, or to go Skyhawk vs. Skylane?

As to the first question, to the extent a 172 has a sufficient useful load for your mission I'd go GA. As for the second question, a rental Skyhawk will be a lot more economical than a rental Skylane, although actual fuel costs would probably be a wash.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I don't fully understand the question. Are you asking whether you should go GA vs. commercial, or to go Skyhawk vs. Skylane?

As to the first question, to the extent a 172 has a sufficient useful load for your mission I'd go GA. As for the second question, a rental Skyhawk will be a lot more economical than a rental Skylane, although actual fuel costs would probably be a wash.
Click to expand...

The first question. I -wish- it were the second question, because then I would just take the Skylane.
 
Did you factor the extortionate landing/parking/fuel at Logan? If so, what did it work out to? If not, you might consider another Boston-area airport. BED is the closest to public transport, and I think they have rental cars too, though they aren't super friendly to transients. I don't know much about the others.
 
I don't see anything wrong with that trip in a 172, unless you run into loading issues. Your passengers will probably want a pee stop anyway.

I routinely make a 720nm weekend round trip in a 152. "oh the 182 is not available!" I have no sympathy for you :)
 
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pericynthion said:
Did you factor the extortionate landing/parking/fuel at Logan? If so, what did it work out to? If not, you might consider another Boston-area airport. BED is the closest to public transport, and I think they have rental cars too, though they aren't super friendly to transients. I don't know much about the others.
Click to expand...

Don't go to Boston or Bedford. Go to Norwood (OWD).
 
BillTIZ said:
Don't go to Boston or Bedford. Go to Norwood (OWD).
Click to expand...

or KLWM

If you go to KBED you'll have to deal with over-the-top stupid TSA (KBED's "security" plan is based on Logan's plan - is that enough of a hint?)
 
Bob Noel said:
or KLWM

If you go to KBED you'll have to deal with over-the-top stupid TSA (KBED's "security" plan is based on Logan's plan - is that enough of a hint?)
Click to expand...

They are both run by MASSPort gestapo.
 
You can also check out 6B6 in Stow, MA. It will likely be the cheapest option and I'm pretty sure they can rent you a car. The runway needs work, fuel is very cheap.
 
If it is more convenient to land south of boston, norwood, OWD is supposed to be pretty GA friendly.


Edit- fly the 172!
 
pericynthion said:
Did you factor the extortionate landing/parking/fuel at Logan? If so, what did it work out to? If not, you might consider another Boston-area airport. BED is the closest to public transport, and I think they have rental cars too, though they aren't super friendly to transients. I don't know much about the others.
Click to expand...

BED would be fine.
 
dell30rb said:
I don't see anything wrong with that trip in a 172, unless you run into loading issues. Your passengers will probably want a pee stop anyway.

I routinely make a 720nm weekend round trip in a 152. "oh the 182 is not available!" I have no sympathy for you :)
Click to expand...

Wow!!!
 
Bob Noel said:
or KLWM

If you go to KBED you'll have to deal with over-the-top stupid TSA (KBED's "security" plan is based on Logan's plan - is that enough of a hint?)
Click to expand...

Ah, I see!
 
Mike5250 said:
If it is more convenient to land south of boston, norwood, OWD is supposed to be pretty GA friendly.


Edit- fly the 172!
Click to expand...

We'll be going apartment hunting in Cambridge, so north might make more sense.
 
spiderweb said:
We'll be going apartment hunting in Cambridge, so north might make more sense.
Click to expand...

ok, for Cambridge, KBED is closer. However, it's not a bad drive to get to Cambridge from Norwood or KLWM.
 
Back when I was a cheap-ass MIT student I would eat ramen for a few weeks, take the T to Alewife, the bus to KBED and rent a Warrior from East Coast Aero Club. The same one, as a matter of fact, that was later landed on the beach in NY.. rogaaaah!
 
Bob Noel said:
ok, for Cambridge, KBED is closer. However, it's not a bad drive to get to Cambridge from Norwood or KLWM.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Bob! Any way to get into Cambridge via public transport?

(This is embarrassing, because I am from Boston, and did my grad school work there, and yet I don't know the answer to this question!)
 
pericynthion said:
Back when I was a cheap-ass MIT student I would eat ramen for a few weeks, take the T to Alewife, the bus to KBED and rent a Warrior from East Coast Aero Club. The same one, as a matter of fact, that was later landed on the beach in NY.. rogaaaah!
Click to expand...
When were you a cheap-ass MIT student? I was a cheap-ass Berklee student in the late 80s and took some math and science over at MIT when Berklee didn't offer what I wanted. We might have crossed paths on the Mass Ave bridge once or twice while laying down the Smoot Markings.
 
TMetzinger said:
When were you a cheap-ass MIT student? I was a cheap-ass Berklee student in the late 80s and took some math and science over at MIT when Berklee didn't offer what I wanted. We might have crossed paths on the Mass Ave bridge once or twice while laying down the Smoot Markings.
Click to expand...

Later than that, I'm afraid, though how much later I shouldn't say lest I lose all credibility ;)
 
spiderweb said:
Thanks, Bob! Any way to get into Cambridge via public transport?
Click to expand...


http://www.mbta.com/

http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/system_map/

http://www.mbta.com/rider_tools/trip_planner/

Pluging Norwood (or Lawrence) and Cambridge into the trip planner seems to result in a route.


spiderweb said:
(This is embarrassing, because I am from Boston, and did my grad school work there, and yet I don't know the answer to this question!)
Click to expand...

I've lived in the Boston area all my life (since <mumble>) and I don't have any idea since I almost never take public transportation into Cambridge...it's just easier to drive.
 
So I take it you decided to take the 172? I do the same. There's nothing wrong with a 172, it still beats driving 2:1, thing is I want 3 miles a minute. When I need a cheap plane to run a local errand with, I've got a real cheap 172 I can rent and fly up and see mom and dad for $100 round trip. What I cannot rent is a glass panel high performance twin in excellent condition with low time engines, new props, that I am fully confident in my ability to survive in. Since 99.7% of my flying is solo hauling my azz around coast to coast, that's all that matters. I am well satisfied with the cost of operations I incurred over 100 hrs. I still have about $6k in catch up to do on the engines going through the F.I. I'm gonna wait to see how the noise about the Owner Maint pans out before I do an autopilot. As long as I can keep a VFR mission I'll do the same with unlocking SVT on the G500 and get it in an uncertified form.
 
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