Aviation Geeks unite?! Anybody else care about planes here?

[{ Emilia }]

Most people won't know this but I'm kind of a massive aviation geek and forever I've toyed with regularly starting threads on aviation-related topics. But quite honestly I'm wondering if there's even any interest?

I'm also an avid simmer, you know, one of those silly people who are just waiting for both pilots on a real life flight to eat the fish and fall ill just so we can be the heroes and land the plane. What could possibly go wrong?! Some of those sims are study-level, right?!

So if you're an aviation geek or just generally think flying is fun (or absolutely awful), tell me about it here.

Do you have a favorite plane? A favorite airline?
Or a horror story about flying with Ryanair or Spirit?

Are you a pilot? Do you own a little Citation? Marry me?

 

[Santaman]

I've got many favorites, The English Electric Lightning, F-104, F-4, Sukhoi SU 15, A10, the XB-70 Valkyrie, SR-71, all variantions of the Dassault Mirage delta wing fighters, Antonov AN2 and a long list more...

 

[Thestral]

Fellow simmer here! I've always loved to fly, even with only limited opportunities for it, though it's only since starting to sim that I've really told them apart. I don't think I've ever been in a little general aviation craft, though an uncle got his pilot's license when he was a young man and one of my cousins was going to but it was too expensive in the end. I toy with the idea of learning myself.. but money and time.

No horror stories, although the difference between Ryanair and American Airlines even in economy class is... notable, haha. I don't think I'd ever seen in-air advertisements done by a guy actualy hawking products to such an extent. Delta probably should be my favorite airline, being from the South, but American is what I've flown most.

In terms of favorite planes...? Gotta love the Mad Dog, for sure. McDonnell-Douglas management may have been penny-pushing blockheads at the end (and now that they ate Boeing), and the engineer who designed the cockpit should be shot but.... even so. 747 and Concorde of course get tons of attention rightfully but there's something about that workhorse i just love.

Also the Fokker 50 because Fokker don't care.

 

[{ Emilia }]

I've got many favorites, The English Electric Lightning, F-104, F-4, Sukhoi SU 15, A10, the XB-70 Valkyrie, SR-71, all variantions of the Dassault Mirage delta wing fighters, Antonov AN2 and a long list more...

Wait, the warthog?! That plane is so ugly it's almost adorable.

Random flight sim trivia: One of the most popular control devices is a replica of the Warthog stick and throttle. Solid metal and shit, a mere €370 or so.

Spoiler: warthog stick

 

[Santaman]

Always liked the flying hunk of titanium armor.. also the GAU-8 Avenger 30mm gatling gun.

Also, what about helicopters? you I always liked the Mil MI-24 Hind, evil looking aircraft, more a fighter bomber with a rotor than a real chopper.

 

[Thestral]

The Warthog is ugly as sin... but adorbale in its way, yeah.

In terms of military planes I have to give credit to the F-16 ever since I was a kid and read somewhere that it's designed to be super-twitchy because it reacts faster. And the C-17 because it's an ugly but incredibly functional giant sky truck, basically.

 

[Ovation]

I once harboured the ambition to get a helicopter licence though it’s probably too late for me (middle aged and not wealthy). However I do enjoy flying (big craft or small). What I loathe are airports (from a passenger perspective).

 

[Marc]

haven't simmed in sometime but when I have it's been with X-Plane which took over where MS Flight Simulator left off though the later will be making a return later this year. Not good pilot though

a long distance relation then moving overseas is one way increase the number of flights though I haven't travelled by air since 2013. but have been on a variety of aircraft (Fokker Friendship, DC-9, 727, 737, 767, 777, A320, A340). Best landing was probably the A340 into Pearson but never worked out if the pilot was damn good and flew hands or used autoland.

I'd always wanted to see a Lancaster in there (had 2 great uncles who flew them) which I finally did about 5 years ago as the once of the last airworthy Lancs is based at Hamilton in Ontario and have also been aboard her (but on the ground). A lottery win will pay for a flight

Biggest airshow I've been to was a CFB Trenton a few years back. Not only seeing the aircraft in the air but going aboard them. Only one I missed out on the the EC-3(think that's number) AWACS aircraft. Took about 250 pictures that day including the Lancaster, A B-24 and Mustang in formation which is up on my wall along the with the F-22 Raptor.

Can put this down to another interest picked up from my dad (who learned to fly while in the army and was taught by a guy who flew F-86s in Korea).

 

[M'Sharak]

...

So if you're an aviation geek or just generally think flying is fun (or absolutely awful), tell me about it here.

Do you have a favorite plane? A favorite airline?
Or a horror story about flying with Ryanair or Spirit?

Are you a pilot? Do you own a little Citation? Marry me?

"Geek" would be a bit strong, but I do enjoy flying. However, I don't do so nearly often enough to have either a favorite airline or its opposite.

Most of the planes I know much about or would recognize date from Korean War era or earlier, but I was able during the 1960s to tell the difference between Boeing and Douglas airliners based on the angle of the front cockpit glass (Douglas had a noticeable step down, while Boeing's would be flush with the curve of the nose.)

Wait, the warthog?! That plane is so ugly it's almost adorable.

I do like those.

 

[Mysterion]

Warthog? As a former ground-pounder I hold the A-10 in the highest possible esteem. And it is, IMO, a beautiful piece of machinery.

 

[StarCruiser]

The Warthog is a masterpiece of engineering for a specific purpose. Redundancy everywhere that counts, protection for the pilot, tremendous load carrying capacity, just fast enough for the job...

Still nothing out there that can match it in close support!

I haven't played any flight sims in years mainly since finding a good flight stick (that doesn't cost an arm and a leg) has been difficult. Everyone I've tried quickly goes out of register/alignment during a game...

 

[Marc]

I haven't played any flight sims in years mainly since finding a good flight stick (that doesn't cost an arm and a leg) has been difficult. Everyone I've tried quickly goes out of register/alignment during a game...

Thrustmsster used to be the bees knees of joysticks but they where never that cheap and not sure if they are even made anymore.

The x-plane.org used to sell them but now have one called gladiator.

 

[NCC-73515]

I love the F-117, SR-71, and B-2.

 

[Silvercrest]

When I was younger I thought the concept of the Harrier was pretty cool — until I got to see one operate up close and realized how appallingly loud it is while hovering. Having your illusions dispelled can be pretty painful.

I'm really fond of the SR-71, though.

 

[XCV330]

I suppose my favorite plane is the DC-3. I know, boring.

 

[SPCTRE]

 

[rahullak]

I played Red Baron and Flight Simulator 98 back when kid.
I find aircrafts cool, but never took the time to learn much more about them, at least so far. My interest plate is full at the moment, so maybe later.

ETA: Also liked movies like Sully, Air Force One, Knight and Day

 

[{ Emilia }]

I don't think I've ever been in a little general aviation craft, though an uncle got his pilot's license when he was a young man and one of my cousins was going to but it was too expensive in the end. I toy with the idea of learning myself.. but money and time.

I hear you and GA flying is even more expensive over here in Europe.

Funny enough there's a bit of a changing trend when it comes to commercial flying. When in recent years training was incredibly expensive and then you'd get a meh-paying job at a regional carrier for years, the pilot shortage is now really rearing its head and airlines are becoming more desperate.

No horror stories, although the difference between Ryanair and American Airlines even in economy class is... notable, haha.

I was very underhelmed by AA, considering it's a respected legacy carrier. Certainly not comparable to the service and comfort I've enjoyed on Emirates.

In terms of favorite planes...? Gotta love the Mad Dog, for sure. McDonnell-Douglas management may have been penny-pushing blockheads at the end (and now that they ate Boeing), and the engineer who designed the cockpit should be shot but.... even so.

Gotta love the Mad Dog for sure. Although the callouts/warnings must be some of the most irritating in the industry: "MREEEEEEEEHP STABILIZER." The plane is so steampunk compared to an Airbus or even a 737.

haven't simmed in sometime but when I have it's been with X-Plane which took over where MS Flight Simulator left off though the later will be making a return later this year. Not good pilot though

I use both X-Plane and Prepar3D (which Lockheed Martin has developed based on FSX code). Some of the (admittedly expensive) addons are rather amazing in their depth and immersion. Some simulate all systems even down to the circuit breakers. Let's just say you're quite busy if you're flying alone.

It's also the reason why I enjoy simulating airliners way more than fighter aircraft. There's just something about the procedures that fascinates me, including the rather complicated Flight Management Systems and so on. That said, good old VOR navigation in a vintage 727 can be fun, too.

Biggest airshow I've been to was a CFB Trenton a few years back. Not only seeing the aircraft in the air but going aboard them. Only one I missed out on the the EC-3(think that's number) AWACS aircraft. Took about 250 pictures that day

250 pics and you're not sharing even one?! That's teasing!

I suppose my favorite plane is the DC-3. I know, boring.

But isn't it significantly less sexy than a Constellation built in the same era?
The shape of its fuselage and tail was so unique. Great design, even though it had quite a few engine problems at first. For a while it was known as: "The best trimotor ever built, because sometimes it even had a fourth working engine."

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The DC-3 was quite the workhorse of course.

 

[Stoo]

I used to play flight sims back in the early 90s. Their Finest Hour, Aces of the Pacific, Chuck Yeager's Air Combat, F117, Gunship 2000 etc. I drifted away from the genre as the games grew more complicated. I don't have the patience to sit through a tutorial video just to learn how to switch the engines on!

favourite planes... hard to say. IMO something about the F-15 sums up everything a fighter jet should be. For a more old-timey example, perhaps the Mosquito.

 

[SPCTRE]

a tutorial video just to learn how to switch the engines on

bah! give me a super heavy, ring binder manual or it's not a True Flight Sim Experience

(I recently held my box copy of Jane's Longbow II)

(eta: I think I managed to take off once...?)