Heyas Hockey,

Sad. Very Sad.

The DC-9-10 flying out of MSP was some of the best flying EVER.

"Fly heading 330, proceed direct Bismark when able, climb to 350" right after MSP approach switched you to center. Next time you talked with them was when you wanted to start down.

Sure, it didn't have VNAV (other than what was between your ears), but no ATC hassles, no angst from the east/west coast passengers (despite that you were ALWAYS full going to these places), ZERO traffic hassles at your desintation, and getting paid $195/hr in the left seat....oh yea, and you upgraded in 5 years.

THIS is what we lost. I was walking down the C concourse in DTW the other day. I walked a LONG time before I found an DCI plane going somewhere that WASN'T a mainline destination a just few years ago.

To our former negotiators: Thanks for deciding the 76 seaters were ok at DCI.

Nu