RV utility

[java]

I've always been skeptical of any real life utility in owning a plane. Sure, you cover ground, but when you take into account prep and securing time, as well as arranging and transitioning to ground transport, I havent seen a lot of occasions where flying was a benefit.

I saw one today.

My nephews are hockey players. The older boy was drafted by the Prince Albert Raiders (2nd round) in the Western Hockey League (WHL, or "The Dub" for short). I realize that 99% of the readers of VAF won't get this, but it's kind of a big deal here. For you Texas guys, maybe you will have heard of Mike Modano from his years with the Dallas Stars (highest scoring American born player ever in the NHL). He played his Junior 'A' hockey in Prince Albert.

Anyhow, this week is Raider tryout / scrimmage. Kids get drafted at 15, and hope to make the team at 16. If they make the team they have to leave home, live with a sponsor family, and travel and try to make the big leagues while they are going through all the normal high school challenges at the same time.

Back to flying. I'm a 9 hour 40 minute drive from Prince Albert. I'm also only a 2 hour 5 minute flight from PA! Today I flew up there, visited with family, watched a scrimmage, had some lunch, connected with my nephew, and flew home. That would have NEVER been possible without my RV6.

I still think of this as a hobby, but it's awfully nice, once in awhile, to see the utility, and how it can benefit a family.

[pierre smith]

Jase, we have a second home in South Carolina and we have the Savannah river as a barrier to cross. The nearest bridge makes us detour away from our destination and the small 125 mile drive becomes a minimum of 3 hours, whereas my -10 does the trip in 35 minutes...utility? You bet.

Best,

[flion]

Driving to my Mom's house is 12 +/- hours. Flying in an RV-6A is 3.2. Unfortunately, Mom passed just before I finished the plane, but I still visit her grave and my brother, who lives just a bit farther.

[Ron Lee]

Utility questioned?

1) Mt Rushmore - day trip
2) Antelope Canyon - day trip
3) Devil's Tower - day trip
4) Flying over the Grand Canyon - priceless
5) Cayman Island trip/flying over Cuba - priceless
6) Flying through a valley with aspens turning - priceless
7) Flying over Bahamas island low - priceless
8) Visiting friends sans TSA groping - anytime I want
9) Flying to Catalina Island - not many can say that
10) Piney Pinecreek, Key West, Quillayute and Eastport airports - see who figures this one

This is just a sample. You can assert that it has utility ONLY if it allows you to do a family function, but that is too limiting in my opinion.

[Dmadd]

Jase,
Congrats on your nephews success! I hope he makes it all the way to the NHL.

Dennis

[N941WR]

Originally Posted by Dmadd

Jase,
Congrats on your boys success! I hope he makes it all the way to the NHL.

Dennis

Ditto! That is a BIG deal!

[Snowflake]

Good luck to your nephews, Jase! Maybe they'll end up in Vancouver and can help us win the Cup for a change.

[tmillican]

Originally Posted by java

....For you Texas guys, maybe you will have heard of Mike Modano from his years with the Dallas Stars....

Dallas has a hockey team?

[Neal@F14]

Originally Posted by tmillican

Dallas has a hockey team?

Yep, the Stars moved to Dallas from Minnesota in 1993. They even won the Stanley Cup in 1999.

[Bob Axsom]

Really? Model airplanes are a hobby. Airplanes are a mode of fast transportation not limited to the range subconsciously adopted by people limited to driving. I have never thought of flying as a hobby.

Bob Axsom