<p>D has so far traveled home for breaks by small regional jets (~50-70 passengers). With fewer choices in flights these days, one option is to fly into LaGuardia on a De Haviland turboprop (about a 1 hr flight) connecting to a flight that is in fact on a jet.</p>
<p>I’ve heard stories from family members who had to travel on turboprops in the 1990’s, that they were loud, bumpy, and cramped.</p>
<p>Any CC’ers out there have any opinion? D is comfortable with jet travel, but don’t want to freak her out with a white-knuckle plane ride.</p>
<p>In good weather they aren’t bad. This summer I flew one from Ithaca, NY to Newark and it wasn’t too loud or bumpy. I don’t think I’d like them in crappy weather though.</p>
<p>I fly them probably 6 times a month in and out of the regional airport near my house - but that is in nice California weather. No way I want to do one in a snowstorm or with strong winds as they have a tendency to squirm all over the sky. Remember sleeping with a two year old as they move in directions you didn’t think possible - that’s a turboprop in high winds…</p>
<p>I asked a friend of mine, who is a Delta pilot, if I should avoid these flights for safety reasons. He told me not to worry. I’ve flown them many times and the only discomfort has been the lack of headroom walking down the aisle. The overhead storage bins are smaller, too.</p>
<p>NOAA flys turboprops into hurricanes. Jets tend to flame out from too much water entering the air intakes. I like short trips on turbos because they don’t fly too high where its hard to see the individual features.</p>
<p>We are stuck with them as no big jets (and very few small ones) fly into our regional airport. They kind of freak me out a little, but having been on them many times now, I have to say there’s never been a problem, no white knuckle flights, everything’s been fine. Like sherpa says, the overhead storage bins are tiny, so we always have to leave even carry-on size luggage at the ramp and they stow it under the plane.</p>
<p>I flew Pittsburgh to Ithaca once on a turboprop. I had just gotten off a 737 from Houston to Pittsburgh that had a white-knuckle landing where people shrieked every time our plane plummeted a hundred feet, or yawed terrifyingly into the microbursts of storm wind. I walked shakily to my connecting gate after deplaning, knowing I’d have to fly up out of the same weather, saw the tiny turboprop waiting for me, and I swear that while I’ve cried in public before, that was the only time I ever burst into tears and started sobbing in front of strangers.</p>
<p>Solution? Dramamine and a half a margarita… The flight out ended up being five kinds of fun. I may have actually said “Wheeeeeee” and put my hands up, but the memory of the experience is a little hazy. I think the turboprop actually rode the storm out better than the jet, though.</p>
<p>Your daughter can probably just stick to the dramamine… It’s all I use now; the margarita was a little over-the-top. The dramamine mellows me out, squelches any remote possibility of airsickness, and keeps me a cool customer for the lone flight attendant. It’s great stuff, and I keep a small tube with me for moral support when I know I’m going to ride in something very small.</p>
<p>In my experience no more cramped than your average jet. You may have to gate check some of your carry-on luggage but that’s it. As for loud, well if the plane is dinky, you can hear the noise wherever you sit. In a big jet, it’s only noisy in some seats.</p>
<p>The first time I took Happydad home to meet my folks in the Midwest, we boarded the commuter plane in St. Louis for the 40 minute flight to my local airport. He looked out the window and said, “There are propellers on this plane.” I said, “Yes.” He said, “There are PROPELLERS on this plane.” I said, “Yes.” He said, “THERE ARE PROPELLERS ON THIS PLANE!” Which made me turn and look at him and say, “What is the big deal with you, of course there are propellers on this plane.” And he said, “I didn’t think they made them with propellers anymore.”</p>
<p>aibarr- I was on a hair-raising flight from Pittsburgh to Ithaca once myself. I’m pretty sure it was a jet although it’s so many years ago I can’t say for sure. Since half of my grad school department was on board, all I could think of was how many tenure-track positions would open up if we crashed.</p>
<p>Since half of my grad school department was on board, all I could think of was how many tenure-track positions would open up if we crashed.
oh lordy
I don’t fly much, so I didn’t really realize that fear of heights and claustrophobia combine to being not such a good passenger. ( although I did keep it to myself)</p>
<p>I took a turbo prop down to santa barbara in 08, but just having reduced cabin pressure and engine noise on the way back unnerved me - I don’t know what I would have done if we had turbulence!</p>
<p>Flying down to san francisco last month, I was practically crying,and it was a 737.
I didn’t think of dramamine that just makes me sleepy but maybe I will try it ( or upgrade to martini class) <B Alaska- free Redhook.</p>
<p>I think for me though, part of the problem was projecting my own anxiety on what I imagined my daughter experienced going through Mumbai & Abu Dhabi by herself ( let alone flying from UK to Seattle) I was having after the fact freakout.</p>
<p>I flew on a turbo prop one stormy night years and years ago and I must have been white knuckling the seat as we bounced around. Next to me the gentleman patted my white knuckles who told me he was a pilot and the turbo prop planes were nice and safe and “could fly with one prop.” I’m fine in any plane normallly accept if it’s sleeting. Hate ice stuff when in plane.</p>
<p>I’ve flown on turboprops plenty of times, and usually enjoy the flights. The aircraft are completely safe, just a bit noisier than most jetliners. I’ve flown on Dash 8s into snow and sleet storms several times, and even though the flights wer bumpy, the overall experiences weren’t too bad.</p>
<p>I think people have different levels of comfort when it comes to flying in smaller planes. I don’t particularly like flying in turboprops, and if I have a choice I’ll avoid flying in one. If your D isn’t fearful, then I would go ahead and book a flight and see what she thinks.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about her. I’ve never noticed much difference flying on a turboprop. We had to take them frequently to connect to the big regional airport when we lived in a small city. Flew on a short trip in and out of Denver last week on Frontier turboprops; had to board both flights from the tarmac. Good weather going out; heavy cloud cover and icy rain coming back. No difference in noise level or turbulence. Agree that overhead space is tighter and overhead compartments smaller. Not a big deal.</p>
<p>We used to take a small commuter airline from Clear Lake City to Houston Intercontinental (rather than drive) when we lived in Texas years ago. That was white-knuckle flying. No comparison to turboprops.</p>
<p>I personally haven’t flown a turboprop (though I want to in the near future). I have flown on regional jets and single-engine piston aircraft and have been fine. Unless your daughter is an extremely nervous flier, a one hour flight should be no problem whatsoever. Just remember to pack earplugs as all aircraft are quite noisy. The flight will be over before she knows it.</p>
