Flyingwise I would love to get my hands on e.g. a Falcon900 for a couple of months. explore the boundaries of the flight enveloppe
I think you might have the wrong idea on how NJE and other reputable GA operators work. Nobody explores the flight enveloppe but if they do so willingly (other than cases of wake turb, windshear etc...), they do not belong in a modern professional environment, be with an airline (I am ex) or NJE.
and land at the most obscure airfields...[/QUOTE]
That's what make some of us tick but obscure doesn't mean dangerous. You still apply the necessary factors to operate safely and if you are unhappy about it, it is your call as a professional.
So now, from based on my past experience (73,75,76 in a reputable European airline)...
Cabin height:
I m 1.78m tall (or short compared to my Scandinavian colleagues) and lucky to be flying an XL so I can pretty much stand up.
luggage space: Well in this area the XL is king. You can fit skis in the cargo hold and sets of golf clubs fit standing up
. Told you I was lucky.
stability when flying: Yep sure, just like it says in Handling the Big Jets. But it is easier to taxi, manoeuver etc... From handling point of view and from the often available excess thrust available, overall Bizjets are nicer. But to be fair, the Excel is a very draggy aeroplane with very little residual thrust so a nice VNAV decent, idle from TOD etc.... is not possible (unless you overshoot the TOD by a very very long way and do it FLC. Not an option with PAX and not so much one in congested area due to a stupidly high ROD and low forward velocity..... A brick for short).
Still the XLS will take you up to FL450 in no time, no level off required etc...
And last but not least: the flightdeck!
Defo agree with you... They are tiny. But I remember as well going from the 75/76 to the 73 and having to change my flight case because of the much small size.. So when I moved to NJE, I had to do that again (good for the flight bag industry you ll have to agree).
You are right though, not much room but nice cup holders for drinks (nicer than on the Boeings). You have two each and the location is more sensible too (no need to have the drink holders near the center pedestal Mr Boeing - PS not the case on all Boeing types before I get shot for being inaccurate).
And yes it would be nice to stand up once in a while, enjoy the comfort of the almost flat bed/jumpseat of a 76 etc) but with rather short flights such as we get on the XL, I have learnt to live with it. I enjoy my longish turn around though where I can really stretch my legs. Horses for courses etc...
The question is: do you want to do this the rest of your career?
I can say that flying Loco, short haul, same destinations was definitely what I didn't want to do for the rest of my career.
So far I really enjoy the type of flying I do and I have no plan to return to the airlines. If the job market is such that I have no choice then of course I will but I will try hard no to.
Will you never get tired of not having the privacy of a closed cockpit
I got tired of being locked up at the front with for only contact, the Number 1/CSD whatever name they have in various outfits. I got bored of not being able to "socialise" with my PAX during a flight or sticking to SOPs forbidding me to allow a 3 years old in the flight deck, whilst parked on stand, engine shut down (you never know what terrorists look like these days
apparently).
14 stewardesses to serve you,....
I only managed 11 so I wouldn't know but I have never found it to be that great. They were usually busy or tired or... What I mean is that the number idn't necessarily make the quality of the exchange. Still, we had some good giggle and if you were a good crew then of course it was nice. Just the same as when you leave on tour with 1 or 2 other crew members. If you get on well together you will have a blast, if you don't then hell could sound like an appealing option
.
[/quote]Will you never ask for the protection a true SOP has to offer.[QUOTE]
If I understand your question, you are asking how strong SOPs are in GA ?
I m pleased to say that so far, I can feel that the SOP culture is pretty strong within NJE. Some are a little bit "small plane/C152" mentality (such as the number of check lists we have and the lack of structured flow patterns)" derived but they are evolving in the right direction.
If you know your SOPS, books etc... nobody seem to go against that.
So there we go
shneidertrophy, this is how I see things now that I work for a GA operator and after having done some time in the airlines.
It is not for everyone and even if you like GA, NJE might not be for you. Only you can tell but in my personal case, I miss prett much nothing about my old job. Nothing that I don't have today...
Now to finish about big planes small planes I say two things....
- When I look ahead it looks just like the same
- When I look behind, I see... nice leather seats, TVs, sofas (Ok not on the XL).
PS: I do not discuss the simple fact that a larger flight deck is more comfortable though. It's just how it is by design.
Happy X'mas all.