In Part 1 I covered the ticketing and departure experience, now it’s time to talk about the onboard experience. We rejoin our story as I get ready to board for my trip south. Boarding is like the old Southwest model of free-for-all scramble onboard. But at least Southwest made sure that everyone getting off was able to do so before other passengers started getting on. Continue reading
Author Archives: Ian Petchenik
Why Do Certain People Open All Their Files in Word?
I work with very intelligent people. These are people that have PhDs who do fascinating research. But sometimes I’m really stumped by some of the things they do. And right now is one of those times.
There are a number of people who try to open every file on their computer through Microsoft Word. Every single file. It doesn’t matter if it’s a PDF, JPEG, or Excel file. When they need to find something, they go to Word. And often times this leads to them thinking the file has been deleted. I’ve noticed it’s generally the older folks who do this, so perhaps they were taught something that I wasn’t?
Have you ever experienced this where you work? Anyone have a half-way decent explanation why certain people try to use Word to open all their files?
CTA Trip Report Part I—Ticketing and Departure
In order to requalify as a Chicago Transit Platinum member for 2014 I recently did a mileage run on the CTA’s Red Line and I think it deserves a trip report. Continue reading
Wolfe Air Aviation Photography—One of the Best Jobs in the World
Last night my friend Omar sent me a link to Wolfe Air Aviation’s new demo reel. As any good avgeek does, I stopped what I was doing, pressed play, and watched.
O’Hare Run on the Runway—September 29
Calling all runners and avgeeks! The City of Chicago, Chicago Department of Aviation, and United Airlines are once again teaming up for the O’Hare Run on the Runway. This year’s event will take place on September 29, from 6:00am to 12:30pm with the races beginning at 8:00am. This was an awesome event last year and I will definitely be back again this year. The day includes an early morning race and a community day filled with activities and most importantly access to the runway to take pictures. The proceeds benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, so in addition to being a fun day, it supports a very worth cause. Continue reading
Happy National Aviation Day!
Every year on August 19, Orville Wright’s birthday, we celebrate National Aviation Day. We take a minute to celebrate the fact that journeys that used to take weeks now take hours, that we fly through the air at 500 miles and hour, that we do so while being able to watch TV or use WiFi, and that we do so safely. Continue reading
Getting Around on a Divvy Bike
Divvy Bikes, part of Chicago’s new bike share program, have been popping up all over the city and last Wednesday I had the opportunity to try them out. I needed to run some errands and was short on time before a meeting, so instead of walking I decided to hop on a Divvy. Continue reading
Independent Spirits—A Welcome Addition to Edgewater
Good wine and spirits are hard to find in Edgewater, so I was excited to see a sign go up for a new boutique wine shop on north Broadway in the early spring. Scott Crestodina’s store, Independent Spirits, opened in late July after a full remodeling of the space at 5947-49 N. Broadway. Last weekend I had a chance to pop into the shop for a bit, do some exploring, and chat with Scott a bit about what Independent Spirits is all about and where they’re headed. Continue reading
EAA Airventure—A Day at the World’s Greatest Aviation Gathering
Last week I trekked up to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with Cynthia Drescher and a friend, for EAA Airventure. Every year the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) hosts thousands of aviation enthusiasts for a week-long celebration at Wittman Regional Airport. Part airshow, part trade show, all aviation awesomeness, Airventure truly lives up to the name, the “World’s Greatest Aviation Gathering.” Continue reading
American Airlines Embraer E175 Debut
On July 31, 2013, American Airlines debuted their new Embraer E175, which will fly under the American Eagle brand, operated by Republic Airlines. American plans to eventually take delivery of 47 E175s as part of their fleet renewal effort. They plan to have all E175s in service by the first quarter of 2015. Continue reading