Post #56,803
10/14/02 9:46:37 PM
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This may seem unattractive.
I'm not bragging, I swear I'm not. But today was the first day I have ever "flown to work". I despise automobiles and I despise them even more today. A 45 minute drive turned into an 8 minute flight today. No stoplights, no morons, no stress. I arrived home happy! I love this. I actually look forward to my commutes! How many of you drivers out there can say that????
Don't buy a new car next time, buy a small airplane. It will do you a world of good.
bcnu - from 3K or 4,
Mikem
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Post #56,806
10/14/02 9:56:15 PM
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*grin* Don't most employers frown on using the parking lot
as an airstrip, though?
Imric's Tips for Living- Paranoia Is a Survival Trait
- Pessimists are never disappointed - but sometimes, if they are very lucky, they can be pleasantly surprised...
- Even though everyone is out to get you, it doesn't matter unless you let them win.
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Post #56,808
10/14/02 10:00:01 PM
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I love my commute.
Typically it's about a 6 minute car ride. With a headwind. ;-)
Sometimes 10 minutes, but rarely.
Regards,
-scott anderson
"Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
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Post #56,950
10/15/02 11:28:25 AM
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I've got a seven minute drive
..on surface streets.
I almost wish it was longer, so I could spend more time listening to my audio books.
Tom Sinclair
"Everybody is someone else's weirdo."
- E. Dijkstra
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Post #56,809
10/14/02 10:00:08 PM
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Erm
For me landing inside of NYC would be rather difficult...
Cheers,
Ben
"Career politicians are inherently untrustworthy; if it spends its life buzzing around the outhouse, it\ufffds probably a fly."
- [link|http://www.nationalinterest.org/issues/58/Mead.html|Walter Mead]
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Post #56,824
10/14/02 11:05:00 PM
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Is that long enough to warm up the oil ? ;-)
enough to boil off the water -
Yeah we mech. types always are thinkin of the machinery.. hmm a few Chandelles, rolls etc. - just for the engine's sake, mind you! Maybe a leaflet drop..
Belated envy,
Ashton
who once had delusions of crossing SF Bay, landing a Benson Gyrocopter in a parking lot. All theoretically possible (like an honest politician).
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Post #56,844
10/14/02 11:44:38 PM
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It isn't unattractive
It's just that I don't see how in hell you can do it. Please further explain. Around here, I don't have any takeoff *or* landing zones for small or large planes, and even helicoptors have to get special clearance. All the time. Every time.
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Post #57,064
10/15/02 8:01:56 PM
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It'll be short-lived.
A client's office is less than 1 block away from Smith Field in Fort Wayne (SMD). The Aviation Board (as is the case w/virtually all Fort Wayne politico's) is corrupt beyond anything any Bolshevik ever aspired to. The Board:
1) Refused to apply for already appropriated Fed money earmarked for SMD.
2) Refused to appropriate any money for maintenance.
3) Voted to close the airport, despite a public outcry, despite there being no other GA airport in the 2nd largest city in Indiana *AND*
4) Voted to close despite there being flaggarant conflicts of interest (at least one and perhaps two board members or family of board members stand to make a ton if the airfield is sold on commercial real estate deals).
It was supposed to close in January, but a group of citizens filed a lawsuit to try to stop it. The Board's response was to put up a $100,000 retainer once they found slimy enough shyster's to take their case AGAINST THEIR OWN public. It is a shame, in an all too common way for Fort Wayne politics.
PBS did a special on the field, Lucky Lindy used to stop there when he was flying mail and Amelia landed there once, it was the first "Baer Field" and the first airport to have commercial service, it has a proto-type round carousel hangar of historic interest (my airplane came out of it) and the same beacon since the 20's, among other things. A group has gotten together to try to make the field an historic landmark, but of course, the board is fighting that all the way. Sheesh, makes me even happier that I left that hole and moved up here to the lake. The (car) commutes suck, but at least I don't have to live in Fort Wayne anymore.
My plane's hangared in Kendallville (C62) about 20 NM north of SMD (that's why it only took 8 minutes to get there ;-)
And yes, Ashton, the run-up put more time on the engine than the flight did. But the difference between driving and flying definitely made it a worthwhile effort and one I intend to repeat whenever the weather gods, and my other clients, allow. :-)
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Post #57,106
10/15/02 11:18:11 PM
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Re: It'll be short-lived.
Sounds like a nice but doomed airport.
Do you take hires? Just wondering, Cincinnati to Chicago would be a lot less painful if it were Lunkin (rolls my eyes, probably not right spelling) to Kankakee.
The lawyers would mostly rather be what they are than get out of the way even if the cost was Hammerfall. - Jerry Pournelle
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Post #57,447
10/17/02 7:45:56 PM
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Can't.
The FAR's require a "Commercial Pilot License" for that. I have to pay "at least the pilot's pro rata share of the total expenses of the flight".
To get a commercial license, you need an instrument rating (training can begin only after logging 150 hours - I have 76). But I'll get there someday. Murica is such a nicer place up there ;-)
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Post #57,192
10/16/02 4:23:45 PM
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Condloences on the local politics swamp.
Land of Quayle Lives, I Guess. But doesn't such a patently corrupt group galvanize some recall petitions or at least opposition at next election? That is - the real estate connection to the closing seems almost obv enough for midwesterners to grok w/o any o them agitators from Calif. or other furrin countries.
(I've hung out in Bloomington over a total of maybe 6-7 weeks, is all. But that doesn't count for getting the flavor, despite a couple trips to Indianapolis - B is a Univ. town and so less oppressive generally.)
Other flavour: sitting down at a catfish place enroute to Indianapolis and finding a placemat featuring 'praying hands'. No comment made; when in Rome or Podunk..
Ashton
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Post #57,450
10/17/02 7:51:08 PM
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If only it were that simple.
Aviation Board appointments are lifetime. :-(
But wait, there's more... Yesterday it was announced that some one (forget name) has been acquiring land "over several years" for the purpose of building a "new airport". Wonder if any money has changed hands there over that deal? Oh no, "we don't have that kind of problem in Indiana."
Oh, Death, where is thy sting?
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Post #56,875
10/15/02 2:27:39 AM
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I live 5 minutes from work.
On foot.
Through a park.
Neener neener neener!
Peter
[link|http://www.debian.org|Shill For Hire]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Blog]
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Post #56,902
10/15/02 8:45:11 AM
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yabut ya live in a country 1 days drive long and wide
will work for cash and other incentives [link|http://home.tampabay.rr.com/boxley/resume/Resume.html|skill set]
"Therefore, by objective standards, the leading managers of the U.S. economy...are collectively, clinically insane."
Lyndon LaRouche
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Post #56,922
10/15/02 9:50:33 AM
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I do
but then again, I love driving my [link|http://www.s2ki.com/imagecatalog/image/list/981/|car] with the top down :-)
Hmm, how long has the i been a water cooler?
Darrell Spice, Jr.
[link|http://home.houston.rr.com/spiceware/|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
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Post #57,043
10/15/02 6:05:55 PM
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My entire workday is one big commute
----
Whatever
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Post #57,076
10/15/02 8:38:28 PM
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id est, I drive a cab :)
-drl
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Post #57,120
10/16/02 5:50:44 AM
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Cool
I used to fly - but small planes began to seem really impractical in Colorado - you could almost always drive about as fast and the range wasn't that good. Plus at altitude performance was lame.
And I found I'd rather jump than fly anyhow.
If I were to get back into it I'd get a Pitts and focus on competition. Strictly recreational.
I am out of the country for the duration of the Bush administration.
Please leave a message and I'll get back to you when democracy returns.
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Post #57,449
10/17/02 7:47:52 PM
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In my plane, CO flying would be suicidal ;-)
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