Suggestions on a long layover at O'hare

[probablyimnotsure]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Are they dangerous? No commercial plane operated by or for a major airline within the US is that dangerous anymore really. Sure they're probably more dangerous than a jet, but even then it's not a huge, huge difference. - I haven't taken a propeller plane in the US since 2002 on Northwest Airlines for a 75 mile flight. I have taken a propeller plane for a flight within Malaysia and one from Puerto Rico to British Virgin Islands, but that's not in the US (PR technically is but whatever).

Regardless, even airlines like American (someone like Envoy Air operating them) fly Embraer ERJ-145s between Bloomington and O'Hare. These are jet aircraft, not propeller and you'll find them being flown a number of other places in the country. Their range is almost 1800 miles, which means they could get from Chicago to Phoenix or almost Vegas without refueling, with a full cabin.

The only propeller aircraft American has is a Dash 8 and that's what you'd fly between islands in the Caribbean (fits about 50 people). United Air has a few propeller planes in their fleet but they fit between about 40 and 75 people. To my knowledge, the only airline that flies from O'Hare to Bloomington is American (well probably technically Envoy Air).

Jesus christ, man. I'm not as scared anymore and you gave me some knowledge about airplanes I didn't know before. Very detailed and informative posts, I appreciate it.

I am totally not confident enough to go to Chicago and come back to the airport. I would most likely miss the flight, but thanks for breaking it down for me.

Yeah those small passenger planes like Embraer are kind of freaky. They are so small and it feels like your flying in a toy.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by probablyimnotsure

Jesus christ, man. I'm not as scared anymore and you gave me some knowledge about airplanes I didn't know before. Very detailed and informative posts, I appreciate it.

I am totally not confident enough to go to Chicago and come back to the airport. I would most likely miss the flight, but thanks for breaking it down for me.

Yeah those small passenger planes like Embraer are kind of freaky. They are so small and it feels like your flying in a toy.

I fly nearly every week for my job. I'm one of those people who either boards with first class or the ones with top status right after and I didn't get that because I signed up for some weird promo that gave me status magically. I know my airplanes and have flown all around the world including flights within foreign countries from one city to another. You aren't going to be flying a propeller plane from ORD to BMI if it's on American, which it probably is. It's going to be an ERJ-145, which is a small jet with 18 rows, most of them with a 2, aisle, 1 configuration and its cruising speed is actually not much different than something like a 737.

You should take a lesson flying a 2 or 4 seater. Then you'll know what flying a toy is like I'll tell you this. I took a few lessons with a carbon body airplane, 4 seater. Before that when there was some heavy turbulence, I'd get a little nervous. IN a few of the lessons, I did some crazy stuff by accident (pulling a fair number of G's) and still was able to recover, and made it out without a scratch. Now the stuff on commercial flights doesn't bother me. I completely trust those guys even in the smaller regional flights.

[probablyimnotsure]

All the overseas flying, is that for work too?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by probablyimnotsure

All the overseas flying, is that for work too?

Sometimes - though most of the time just for vacation to get away from this country