I want my own jet and an airstrip in my garden.

[Manks]

I went on holiday recently for a week and thoroughly enjoyed it. It did me a lot of good. I could take more holidays, but I don't because I simply hate the inconvenience of travelling and in particular flying.

Take my most recent jaunt. Naples. It took about 12 hours door to door and involved a lot of waiting in airports, getting involved with stupid security procedures and eating dreadful overpriced food.

Actual time travelling? Perhaps five hours tops. Tops.

There must be an easier way.

I have just run an estimate of cost for a Learjet to pick me and the kids up at Nottingham City airport and drop us off at Naples. £96k one way and I think we'd have to take our own sandwiches. However much I hate travel, however much I earn, £200k for flights will never be a consideration.

So, in terms of travel, are we still in the dark ages or is the world's current commercial air network actually fabulous and I just don't appreciate it?

Manks

[dr_gn]

Manks said:

I went on holiday recently for a week and thoroughly enjoyed it. It did me a lot of good. I could take more holidays, but I don't because I simply hate the inconvenience of travelling and in particular flying.

Take my most recent jaunt. Naples. It took about 12 hours door to door and involved a lot of waiting in airports, getting involved with stupid security procedures and eating dreadful overpriced food.

Actual time travelling? Perhaps five hours tops. Tops.

There must be an easier way.

I have just run an estimate of cost for a Learjet to pick me and the kids up at Nottingham City airport and drop us off at Naples. £96k one way and I think we'd have to take our own sandwiches. However much I hate travel, however much I earn, £200k for flights will never be a consideration.

So, in terms of travel, are we still in the dark ages or is the world's current commercial air network actually fabulous and I just don't appreciate it?

Manks

£96k ? Are you absolutely sure about that?

[ccr32]

PPL and fly yourself there?

[Manks]

dr_gn said:

Manks said:

I went on holiday recently for a week and thoroughly enjoyed it. It did me a lot of good. I could take more holidays, but I don't because I simply hate the inconvenience of travelling and in particular flying.

Take my most recent jaunt. Naples. It took about 12 hours door to door and involved a lot of waiting in airports, getting involved with stupid security procedures and eating dreadful overpriced food.

Actual time travelling? Perhaps five hours tops. Tops.

There must be an easier way.

I have just run an estimate of cost for a Learjet to pick me and the kids up at Nottingham City airport and drop us off at Naples. £96k one way and I think we'd have to take our own sandwiches. However much I hate travel, however much I earn, £200k for flights will never be a consideration.

So, in terms of travel, are we still in the dark ages or is the world's current commercial air network actually fabulous and I just don't appreciate it?

Manks

£96k ? Are you absolutely sure about that?

According to Flymenow.co.uk yes. I could have a Beechcraft Premier for £47k one way and I dare say these prices are not the sharpest they will negotiate. But lets say I could negotiate 50% off on a Beechcraft that would be a round trip cost of £50k. Still more than I would be prepared to pay ever.

[SystemParanoia]

There are no laws preventing you from having your own grass airstrip in your garden..... provided you have a big enough garden!!

Just get a light aircraft and appropriate icence, and go fly!

The whole of the british isles and europ are your to enjoy then. Id love to do this!

[Manks]

ccr32 said:

PPL and fly yourself there?

I considered a PPL a few years ago because I was travelling from the Midlands to Kent a lot.

I concluded that the massive ball ache was not worth it and that really it was only suitable for leisure. Having flown a few light aircraft under instruction I found nothing enjoyable about it at all and was left wondering why people enjoy it.

Oh, and flying from Nottingham to Naples in a Cessna 172 would take up most of the holiday and make me feel more sick than eating the food at East Midlands Intenrational.

Edited by Manks on Wednesday 21st July 10:10

[jhfozzy]

http://www.acsemptylegs.com/

Lots of choice there, Bristol to Cannes is "only" £4,200.

[Simpo Two]

Manks said:

Oh, and flying from Nottingham to Naples in a Cessna 172 would take up most of the holiday and make me feel more sick than eating the food at East Midlands Intenrational.

Bah, you're hardly Henshaw material are you!

'After reconnaissance of the eastern and western routes in 1938, he set off from Gravesend at 0335 GMT on Sunday 5 February 1939 to fly his Mew Gull to Cape Town and back. He refuelled on the way out in Oran in Algeria, crossed the Sahara to land in the Belgian Congo and then Angola, landing in Cape Town after flying 6,377 miles in 40 hours. He spent 28 hours in Cape Town, and retraced his route back to the UK, landing on 9 February after a flight of 39 hours, 36 minutes. He completed the whole 12,754-mile round trip in 4 days, 10 hours and 16 minutes, breaking the record for each leg and setting a solo record for the round trip. By the end, he was so tired that he had to be lifted out of the cockpit.'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Henshaw

[Manks]

Simpo Two said:

Manks said:

Oh, and flying from Nottingham to Naples in a Cessna 172 would take up most of the holiday and make me feel more sick than eating the food at East Midlands Intenrational.

Bah, you're hardly Henshaw material are you!

'After reconnaissance of the eastern and western routes in 1938, he set off from Gravesend at 0335 GMT on Sunday 5 February 1939 to fly his Mew Gull to Cape Town and back. He refuelled on the way out in Oran in Algeria, crossed the Sahara to land in the Belgian Congo and then Angola, landing in Cape Town after flying 6,377 miles in 40 hours. He spent 28 hours in Cape Town, and retraced his route back to the UK, landing on 9 February after a flight of 39 hours, 36 minutes. He completed the whole 12,754-mile round trip in 4 days, 10 hours and 16 minutes, breaking the record for each leg and setting a solo record for the round trip. By the end, he was so tired that he had to be lifted out of the cockpit.'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Henshaw

Did he have to take his shoes and belt off before security, or put his toiletries in a small plastic bag? I think not. Aviation has gone backwards in the past seventy years I tell you.

[mrmr96]

Manks said:

I want my own jet and an airstrip in my garden.

You are John Travolta AICMFP.

click

Manks said:

So, in terms of travel, are we still in the dark ages or is the world's current commercial air network actually fabulous and I just don't appreciate it?

Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itn8TwFCO4M&fea...

[VEA]

To be honest you just sound like a really grumpy old man who would not be happy with anything, Travelling (especially by air) is a priviledge. Not a right!

If you dislike it so much then don't do it, drive. A road trip to Naples would be lovelly.

12 hours does seem like a long time but is it really that bad considered the work that the security have to do, just imagine spending 12 hours a day stood there deal with grumpy old fkers like you?

You really got the raw end of the stick there didn't you!

[Manks]

VEA said:

To be honest you just sound like a really grumpy old man who would not be happy with anything, Travelling (especially by air) is a priviledge. Not a right!

Where on earth did you get the idea that air travel is a privilege?

A company exploits available technology to offer a commercial service to convey me, or most other people I'm prepared to pay for, to a far-off destination. I don't need to be nice to old ladies or say my prayers nightly in order to earn my right to travel.

I bet you are the sort of person who also believes drving is a privilege. You are, most likely, a magistrate.

Edited by Manks on Wednesday 21st July 11:35

[S3_Graham]

If you want to pay £96k to go to naples on a learjet then please get in contact with my company.

Naples is what??? 3 hours? Your looking at roughly £3k per hour of flight for a lear45 + Fees.

Our Gulfstream 550 was something like £100k return to the Bahamas!!

[Neptune188]

£96k to Naples and i'll do you pretty much any jet you want.

I'd reckon on about £20k return (assuming you're there for a week) on a super light / mid jet (Citation Excel/XLS are about the same price as Learjet 45's at the minute and you get a much bigger cabin). Don't use website "easy quote" type things, as they're invariably wrong. Speak to someone (PM me off here) and get a real life quote. Empty legs are all well and good but they do fall over occasionally - they rely on an existing trip not changing/cancelling.

[ccr32]

S3_Graham said:

If you want to pay £96k to go to naples on a learjet then please get in contact with my company.

Naples is what??? 3 hours? Your looking at roughly £3k per hour of flight for a lear45 + Fees.

Our Gulfstream 550 was something like £100k return to the Bahamas!!

£3k/hr for a lear... hmmmm <gets ideas>

How many people can you stuff in one of those? And what sort of fees are you looking at? (assuming fuel/landing fees/etc.?)

[S3_Graham]

ccr32 said:

S3_Graham said:

If you want to pay £96k to go to naples on a learjet then please get in contact with my company.

Naples is what??? 3 hours? Your looking at roughly £3k per hour of flight for a lear45 + Fees.

Our Gulfstream 550 was something like £100k return to the Bahamas!!

£3k/hr for a lear... hmmmm <gets ideas>

How many people can you stuff in one of those? And what sort of fees are you looking at? (assuming fuel/landing fees/etc.?)

8 seats + if you dont like someone they can sit on the Loo and get 9 at a real push. lots of baggage room. It actually doesnt work out THAT expensive when you compare it to a first class ticket price.

I dont know specific prices for fee's etc. but your right, its fuel to a certain extend, then landing fee's and also any specific catering.

[Mr E]

Skiing in the Alps every year is usually something like 10-12 hours door to door.

I suspect 4 people could drive it in about that....

[Manks]

Neptune188 said:

£96k to Naples and i'll do you pretty much any jet you want.

I'd reckon on about £20k return (assuming you're there for a week) on a super light / mid jet (Citation Excel/XLS are about the same price as Learjet 45's at the minute and you get a much bigger cabin). Don't use website "easy quote" type things, as they're invariably wrong. Speak to someone (PM me off here) and get a real life quote. Empty legs are all well and good but they do fall over occasionally - they rely on an existing trip not changing/cancelling.

That is getting more towards the "I would consider it as a special treat if the business does well next year" type thing.

Are you guys allowed to fly commercial jets in and out small regional places like Tollerton (Nottingham City)?

[Simpo Two]

Manks said:

I bet you are the sort of person who also believes drving is a privilege. You are, most likely, a magistrate.

Rabid cyclists like to trot out the soundbyte 'driving is a privilege' because it requires a licence (which can be withdrawn if you are naughty) - whereas bicycles do not so that's a 'right'.

Henshaw ('The Flight of the Mew Gull', a very good book) essentially just took off and blagged it from there - and had many adventures on the way. Adventures are of course now banned on H&S grounds.

[Ranger 6]

Mr E said:

Skiing in the Alps every year is usually something like 10-12 hours door to door.

I suspect 4 people could drive it in about that....

Yes, we do. 8 hours from Calais to chalet and the rest is UK and Eurotunnel. Just over £300 return

but nothing like a private jet......