In flight

I am currently somewhere over Utah at about 36,000 feet, stuck in the middle seat with about 90 minutes left on this flight. I am bored.... suggestions?

I am here

Start making 'Airplane!' jokes to the people around you.

Nevada!

This time tomorrow I'll be somewhere over Stuttgart. If sleeping pills don't work, and I've run out of forum topics to read... there's always Facebook Scrabble. Of course... that's assuming someone else is awake and online to play with me.

Spend hours here ogling your favorite sportscars.

Just keep saying "did you hear that noise? It sounds like the engine" barely loud enough for others to hear.

Try lighting your shoes on fire.

Mile High Club (either alone or with someone else.)

Look at the safety card and accept the idea that they are not really oxygen masks; they are only there to muffle the screams. Without them the pilot will never hear the radio.

Also note on the safety card that the person with their hands braced on the seat back in front of them really seems to be making his/her final piece with God (substitute Buddha, Alla, Spaghetti)

jrw1621 wrote: Mile High Club (either alone or with someone else.) Look at the safety card and accept the idea that they are not really oxygen masks; they are only there to muffle the screams. Without them the pilot will never hear the radio. Also note on the safety card that the person with their hands braced on the seat back in front of them really seems to be making his/her final piece with God (substitute Buddha, Alla, Spaghetti)

Pretty sure that "flying solo" doesn't get you into the mile high club.

BradLTL wrote: I am currently somewhere over Utah at about 36,000 feet, stuck in the middle seat with about 90 minutes left on this flight. I am bored.... suggestions? I am here

Are these the most expensive bytes ever posted to GRM?

My favorite new airplane way to pass the time is to get a window seat and bring my dashboard Garmin GPS unit. If you are seated in the window, the unit will sync up and tell you where you are. With some zooming in/out you can see the names of bodies of water, etc. Of course, this works best on a clear day.
My dashboard gps shows a lifetime max speed of 656 mph.

jrw1621 wrote: My favorite new airplane way to pass the time is to get a window seat and bring my dashboard Garmin GPS unit. If you are seated in the window, the unit will sync up and tell you where you are. With some zooming in/out you can see the names of bodies of water, etc. Of course, this works best on a clear day. My dashboard gps shows a lifetime max speed of 656 mph.

I think that's ilegal. But I'd have to check the TSA's list of approved electronics- it seems like they would worry about how a GPS unit could interfere with the plane's system.

No, it is legal. It is/was right in the inflight magazine.

alfadriver wrote:

jrw1621 wrote: My favorite new airplane way to pass the time is to get a window seat and bring my dashboard Garmin GPS unit. If you are seated in the window, the unit will sync up and tell you where you are. With some zooming in/out you can see the names of bodies of water, etc. Of course, this works best on a clear day. My dashboard gps shows a lifetime max speed of 656 mph.

I think that's ilegal. But I'd have to check the TSA's list of approved electronics- it seems like they would worry about how a GPS unit could interfere with the plane's system.

A GPS is just a receiver, I can't see how it could be a problem.

50 minutes late??? what did you do?

A quick google search does show that GPS's are allowed- but not on all airlines. So check so you don't get reprimanded by the flight attendants.

I know its just a reciever, and so is a radio- which is not allowed- so I'm not ever sure what is and isn't allowed based on logic.

alfadriver wrote: A quick google search does show that GPS's are allowed- but not on all airlines. So check so you don't get reprimanded by the flight attendants. I know its just a reciever, and so is a radio- which is not allowed- so I'm not ever sure what is and isn't allowed based on logic.

" is like applying logic to the TSA" can be the better part of an analogy if you can think of something equally ridiculous to put in front of it.

My next favorite TSA logic now that TSA is a gov't agency...
Why is it that if I pay a private company more money (or more often) that this private company can dictate how quickly I am served by the gov't?

Buy a first class ticket (fequent flyer) and you get to go into the "short line" at the metal detectors.

The only way to fly is in the flagship suites on American or Singapore Airlines suites. It's actually the only way I can fly without going nuts. Flying has become to much like riding on a bus. It drives me nuts.

Here's a quick flying story. While flying last week I dropped my iPod between my seat and the wall of the plane. (I had a window seat.) My iPod somehow landed inside a bag that was being stored underneath my seat. The owner of the bag was sleeping at the time, too. Yeah, I eventually got it back.

You should have shook him awake with a stern look saying "There's something wrong with the wing! ...oh, yeah, could I have my I-Pod back."

Appleseed wrote: You should have shook him awake with a stern look saying "There's something wrong with the wing! ...oh, yeah, could I have my I-Pod back."

Well, it was a she, and she looked really sound asleep. What a shot, though--right out of my pocket and into her carry-on. Yeah, I'm an idiot.

I've heard of strange pick up lines... so how'd it workout for you ?

Grtechguy wrote: 50 minutes late??? what did you do?

Apparently I really ticked someone off, let me explain....

I check in with Delta at 2:45 for a 4 PM flight, plenty of time, but I'm told that I can't check luggage. I get a call from the co-worker. Co-worker explains that we can't get on the first leg of our flight to ATL (from BHM). The flight is delayed and we will miss our connection. Delta's suggestion is to drive to ATL.

So, $207 later me and 3 of my closest co-workers are racing the thunderstorms to the ATL airport. Our flight is scheduled to depart at 7:50. We get to the rental car terminal at 7:00. Now, all we have to do is take the tram from the rental car terminal to the airport, get to the correct terminal, get through security, and get to our gate before they close the doors on the plane. Turns out that was easier than expected... as the plane is delayed. We finally get on the plane, and then the storms hit, so we get to wait more again.

But the tale doesn't end there... after riding for 5 hours in the middle seat we finally get to Sac-town. Pull into the hotel, we are greeted by a security guard with a gun informing us that the power is out at the hotel. Nice. They still let us check in, and we are provided glow-sticks to use as light to get to, and see in our room!

I have to admit, glow sticks was a new one on me, and I've traveled my fair share.

Not near enough sleep for the 8am meeting today.

David S. Wallens wrote: Here's a quick flying story.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I was on a connecting flight terminating in Des Moines so it was one of those cramped older planes. To pass the time I was organizing some notes and dropped a small notebook off my lap into the open purse of the woman next to me. She had spent the entire flight up to that point contently staring out the window.

I eventually got her attention and asked if she could fish my notebook out but for the rest of the flight she was watching me out of the corner of her eye... awkward.