Air Wagner

[Richman]

Well in my case, the pay phone was in the non-locked part of the building, but to balance that off, the departure runway was only 1800' long and you were on your own for obstacle clearance since it had no approaches.

No one has ever called me a "real pilot" before, so I thank you.

So on my airplane, we go to some places where the tower is closed prior to departure (and no, not one of those places where you can drag your feet a touch to wait for it to open).

I'd fly to those same type of places any time in my personal airplane, and think nothing of it. Read the NOTAMs, check the charts, run the numbers, use proper CTAF, get your clearance and release, no problemo, easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Some how, nearly the same exact circumstances, at work in the jet, becomes 3 orders of magnitude harder, WITH an extra pilot.

One of life's mysteries I suppose.

 

[milleR]

We use to pick up a TEC clearance to get out of a place like LGA and then refile in the air to a normal IFR clearance on to wherever we were going once we got clear of the congestion. It meant a while lot more gas as we would get stick down at 3000 feet for a while though.

Used those pretty much exclusively at Cape Air for Boston if I recall. Or at least something just like them. But that was kind of a special working relationship.

 

[BobDDuck]

So on my airplane, we go to some places where the tower is closed prior to departure (and no, not one of those places where you can drag your feet a touch to wait for it to open).

I'd fly to those same type of places any time in my personal airplane, and think nothing of it. Read the NOTAMs, check the charts, run the numbers, use proper CTAF, get your clearance and release, no problemo, easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Some how, nearly the same exact circumstances, at work in the jet, becomes 3 orders of magnitude harder, WITH an extra pilot.

One of life's mysteries I suppose.

It's funny because I used to go into uncontrolled fields pretty regularly in a CRJ. Seems like all of the Coastal Carolinas rolls up their sidewalks at 8pm. It was pretty much a non event, even in a jeeeeeeeeetttt! when you were doing it regularly. Now, on the random occasion I have to get a 330 into an uncontrolled field (often with 3 pilots up front), it seems like a mess every time.

 

[mightynimbus]

You're not a real pilot until you've called for release from Flight Service from a phone booth with a 3w light bulb, attached to a cinder block FBO (which is closed), in the rain, and the void time was 4 minutes. Bonus if the bulb was burned out.

And a hobo shuffles out of the bush he has been living in to inquire if you have any spare change

 

[N826AW]

It's funny because I used to go into uncontrolled fields pretty regularly in a CRJ. Seems like all of the Coastal Carolinas rolls up their sidewalks at 8pm. It was pretty much a non event, even in a jeeeeeeeeetttt! when you were doing it regularly. Now, on the random occasion I have to get a 330 into an uncontrolled field (often with 3 pilots up front), it seems like a mess every time.

I took a CRJ into Exuma on my first IOE trip. I’ll give it 2 stars for the view on approach but ‘will not eat here again.’

 

[BobDDuck]

I took a CRJ into Exuma on my first IOE trip. I’ll give it 2 stars for the view on approach but ‘will not eat here again.’

The Bahamas are the wild west. When I was still there, Exuma was a Saturday day only trip and I think I only got jammed up with 1 of them. I got stuck with Freeport pretty regularly though. At least they kind of are controlled.

 

[CFI A&P]

I took a CRJ into Exuma on my first IOE trip. I’ll give it 2 stars for the view on approach but ‘will not eat here again.’

The Exumas are gorgeous, just have to get out of the terminal. There’s only so much you can do with seafood stored at a questionable temperature served with rice and beans.

Get a boat from Mims Rental in Georgetown and head over to Stocking Island. Still the same rice and beans, but a much better view.