Originally Posted by Usedtofly
If you HAVE to be somewhere ON TIME then the unfortunate fact is that private flight is not reliable enough. As for time, well, if you count the time to drive to the airfield, plan and check the a/c, fly, get taxi to final destination then flying will nearly ALWAYS TAKE LONGER!
Like Bose I'm afraid I have to disagree on both points. I think it's a misnomer by using (in your example) planning at the airfield - most of us will do it in the comfort of our homes the night before, so that comes out of the equation. Additionaly it's not a case of checking out (or even waiting) for a club hack - but an aircraft equipped for the task available when you want it.
I've used mine to be somewhere
ON TIME - it works. In addition, for the criteria I suggested before, it doesn't take longer - it's quicker. An example for you:
I was in Nice in January, and flew out commercially. My return trip consisted of:
Check in - 2 hours before
Fog at Heathrow - 2 hours further delay
Flight - 2 hours
Waiting for stand at Heathrow - 1 hour (yes - really!)
Pick up Bags and get car - 1 hour
Drive to Nottingham - 2 hours
I could have done the same journey, door to door, in half the time using the TB20. It helps that I'm only 15 minutes from the airfield, plus I have an IFR alternate available 24 hours a day on the doorstep. Your experiences are possibly that you didn't find it reliable - for many of us that's not the case.
Originally Posted by bose-x
You are just jealous that you have to sit down low trying to avoid all that nasty weather in that slow old thing of yours, rather than just breezing over the top....
Well - if we're playing "altitude envy".........................
(Behave boys).