Originally Posted by Pedro4President

Having flown both planes I would pick the 145 without question. Yes I know there are some aspects of the CRJ that are superior to the 145. Speed, climb, noise, top altitude, and the seat was more comfortable. However the 145 is a much more forgiving aircraft. You don't have such a tight coffin corner at altitude. The main kicker is the climate control. The CRJ has no heat on the ground. You freeze your butts off in the winter.

Originally Posted by ORDinary

I've only flown the one that can do 250 to the marker and still be stabilized by 1000', and I have to say I enjoy it.

Originally Posted by 450knotOffice

Purely for discussion purposes, because, honestly, QOL trumps which plane is "better", but I'd say hands down the 700 is the better airplane to spend time in, fly, and deal with weather. This opinion was formed through 8500 hours in the 145 and 1000 in the 700.

In terms of systems, both are about equal, with some give and take. I liked the set it and forget it anti-ice system in the 145, vs. the less automated system in the CRJ. On the other hand, the FMC's in the 700 were so much more capable than the Universal UNS-1M's in 145's.

The 145 has a VERY forgiving low sweep wing with excellent low speed and low mach capabilities - it can loiter around at ridiculously low mach numbers up high that would have just about any other jet falling out of the sky. It has great brakes, and can land on just about any runway served by a turboprop. I used to regularly fly into SBP when it was only 4800 feet long and easily make the turn-off about 3500' down the runway with less drama than the Saab I flew into there in the 90's.

The 700 has a much less forgiving wing up high and really should not be allowed to get below .74 up in the mid-30's and above, lest bad things begin to happen due to the drag rise. That wing thrives on speed, and the result is a fast airplane. .79-.81 was more or less normal mach when I flew it, but .82-.83 was go-home mach - and it could do it easily. The 145's limit was a more leisurely .78, with .74 to .76 being normal.

The radar on the 145 is a joke. It's not that the unit in the avionics bay itself is bad, but it is hampered by a TINY dish stuck onto that pointy little snout the jet has. Down low, with liquid moisture around, it does fine, but once into the high cruising levels, it does an awful job of painting weather, due to the small dish's inherent limitations detecting reflections from the small ice crystals that make up clouds up there - even convective ones.. Most of us quickly learned to avoid any color at all up high - even green - because you were likely looking at weather that other radars would paint as yellow, at a minimum. That little dish just did not pick up the weak returns from the ice crystals up high very well.

On the other hand, the 700's radar worked VERY well. It was so nice to get into a jet that had a good radar after ten years flying with a terrible radar. We could actually see and pick clearly defined paths around weather, confident in our choices, rather than attempt to interpret the vague and weak images portrayed by the 145's radar.

The 700 is an order of magnitude quieter than the 145 at cruise mach. I remember being somewhat amazed at how quiet the 700 cockpit was during cruise when compared with the near-727 level of noise in the 145 cockpit. This was huge when it came to overall comfort level in the 700 vs the 145.

Passengers definitely preferred the 700 over the 145 (not that they were huge fans of either, really), mostly due to the larger cabin and lower noise.

Lastly, I thought the airplane flew more nicely than the 145. Hydraulics all around gave it nice light control feel and pretty good harmony. The 145, especially the oldest ones, had heavy pitch forces due to the unassisted elevator. Roll was OK, but not stellar.

However, as I said earlier, this is all secondary to which jet will give any individual the best QOL for his or her situation. Obviously, stay with the jet that gives one the best overall life.

Originally Posted by 450knotOffice

Put that out of your heard, Mister. It was fun to do that in the 145, but the Bus and the 737 can not even come CLOSE to that. WAY too slick and hard to slow down. More like 190 max at the marker...or 200 if you're brave! Lol!

Originally Posted by ORDinary

I've only flown the one that can do 250 to the marker and still be stabilized by 1000', and I have to say I enjoy it.

Originally Posted by ORDinary

I've only flown the one that can do 250 to the marker and still be stabilized by 1000', and I have to say I enjoy it.

Originally Posted by nimslow

I have a hard time understanding WHY you would want to do 250 to the marker, even if you can? Don't you still get paid by the minute? And hanging the flaps and gear right at the limit speeds is loud and uncomfortable for the passengers.

Like 450Knot said above, if you intend to flow, or leave for greener pastures with bigger equipment, get that mindset out of your head. Unless you really like the FOQA gate keeper at your new airline.

Originally Posted by Shiner

QOL is number one, and what you fly is about the number 78 most important thing about the job.

Originally Posted by ORDinary

I do it because it is fun, and after this many thousands of hours in an easy to fly RJ, I know by now what it can do (not because I'm chuck yeager, anyone would). I am fully aware that other jets have to be slowed sooner. Even the 145 can't do it with no headwind or when heavy, stabilization then would be later than 1000', so I don't do it then. My mindset is to fly the plane within its limits, as I do now.

Also the ORD controllers appreciate it when they give "or greater" to the marker.

Originally Posted by nimslow

All valid points, I won't drift this thread anymore, but at least consider this. Is an airplane full of passengers really the place to be doing things because it's "fun"? If it's not really necessary.

When you come screaming over the marker at 250, scoop the power to idle, dangle the dunlops, making all that noise, and then the pitch change as the flaps come out right on speed, all the while getting closer to the ground. That probably makes the nervous, or even first time fliers pretty uncomfortable. Even if it's legal and within limits, it has a pretty good chance of scaring the revenue stream in the back.

If the controllers say "or better" they are planning on you doing the minimum speed, and there is always the magic word "unable".