Laptops in PNT bags
 

I need to get a new laptop and I want one that fit's well in the pouch in my PNT bag. My g/f's 15.4" barely fits and it takes some tugging and pushing to get it in and out. I'm looking at the Lenovo's and am trying to decide between the X series and T series. I'm almost positive on the T series because of the built-in optics and faster processor's so I can run other programs I want back at home. The 14" T61p looks like it should fit well in the bag but is anyone having problem with the added thickness and fitting the bag in a CRJ overhead? Seems like I would have to pack less clothes in the bag and carry and extra duffle to fit other things, which I kind of need anyways. The extra laptop bag is a major pain since I have my lunch box and headset case too. Need to get some damn Telex 750's so I can just lay them in my flight case or something.

I would tread carefully doing that. My previous laptop's screen died doing that. Fortunately it was a few years old so I wasn't too crushed, but I have no doubt that's the reason the screen went to hell. The padding in the PNR bag is ok, but even packing light, you're still scrunching everything when you go to put it in the CRJ overheads since that bag BARELY fits as it is. I ended up buying a Targus leather case that attaches over the handle just to play it on the safe side. It's MUCH more protected that way, and hardly more of an inconvenience. But to answer your question, I have a Lenovo T series 14" laptop and it would fit in that compartment... but you will never see me put it there.

I am personally a Mac fan and the new AIR is pretty hot. It'll fit into any bag you want to put it.

highly overpriced. They are cool but even the basic macbook has more power and costs a bunch less. Macs are awesome but the macbooks and pros are not that big. Just get the macbook with a protective sleeve (neoprene) and if you DH take it out (I would always say have your laptop in your possession but thats just me.

I store my 10.5" Dell Latitude in the pouch and it does just fine...the PNT bag doesn't fit in the ERJ overheads when non-reving, so when I have to gate check my bag I hand-carry my laptop to my seat, only a slight inconvenience to be on the safe side since we know rampers love to hate PNT bags.

buy.com has returned T40s for $399.
I snatched one up, its terrific!

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Just out of curiosity... Why does everyone carry laptops? Is it for e-mail access and internet browsing while flying or do you actually do work. I just ask cause I just carry a blackberry. I get email and internet right on my phone. One less thing to carry. I also keep track of all flying on it too so I don't have to carry a logbook with me and use it for weight and balance calculations. Yes I pay a little more on my monthly bill but the convenience is worth it to me.

So do you like to spend four days cruising the net on nothing but a blackberry? I would stare at that big empty desk in the hotel room and wish I had a bigger screen...

I carry a MacBook Pro 15.4" in my PNT stealth. I can't do overnights without it because i live in the internet and my computer for most bit of entertainment including movies. This is despite carrying an iPhone too.

I have to take the computer, and its sleeve, out of the bag and bring it into the cockpit for safe keeping otherwise it will not fit in the CRJ 200/700/900 bins. The 900 has nice closets that fit the whole bag.

No comment....

;)

I got a Blackberry for the same reason. It's easy to answer email on your hip and you don't have to lug your laptop up and down the CRJ stairs four times a day. ;) With that said, if I have a boring crew or a long layover with a boring crew, I might take along my laptop so that I can chat on Skype with my friends or play games on-line with my wife. More often than not, I'm found playing with my crew on a layover rather than tucked in my "bunker" surfing the net.

I would get the Dell XPS m1330, really small and thin but also powerful enough to play most newer 3d games. I just bought the m1530, which is a little bigger but really fast. Mine decked out with bling was $1450, but they start at 999.

The m1330 will fit perfect in the PNT.

Because I can't imagine looking at porn on a blackberry. Plus if your crew or your overnight is dull, you can pop in a movie or a game and wait till van time.

Just got the 1330 last week and it's awesome. Fits perfectly in the laptop sleeve in the PNT and is easy to pull in and out while going through security.

I get work done on mine plus what was listed above regarding the movies/internet on trips with boring crews. Plus, when you're a commuter, they make nice portable DVD players to pass the time.

What i did with my PNT is i bought some sheets of 1/2 inch foam rubber and glued it to the inside on both sides of my PNT laptop sleeve. so now i have plenty of padding for my laptop even with my 40 pound flight case laying down on top of it.

I just procured myself a shiny-new PSP (thanks JetJock for giving me the idea of spending $300 LoL). Looks like that payraise that I voted down paid for it this month...

But anyway, we'll see if that, along with the iPhone, can keep me entertained enough to not bring the Laptop when I'm with a bunch of slam-clickers!

I keep my laptop in a neoprene sleeve and it slides perfectly into my flight case.

Have you seen how many Jepps a company like SkyWest makes ya haul around? I wish there were room in the flight kit for a Laptop ;)

There is with the MacBook Air :D:D

I just picked one up and it is crazy thin...

I might have to wait 'till CA pay for the Air - Solid-state baby, yeah!

Yeah I usually do that too, but man it's a pain to take in and out for TSA

Yeah I hear ya I am about to enter the ranks...I just picked it up before I leave the ranks of my current job! I will say I had to opt for the non SSD option though, 1000 bucks more ouch! It really was not all bad in comparison to the dell xps 1330. The air is close to the same price and half as thick. I just need to get the hang of the whole OS X thing :))

And just a single mouse-button! How do you live with just one?! LoL...so the Air comes with Leopard, no?

Yeah it has the latest OS..Contrary to popular belief the MAC can do right click if you use a PC mouse. Thank God!!!

I will second that! But, with all the company correspondence and admin done by internet, not much choice. Besides, what else would I do on those long boring overnights without the internet to entertain me?

And to add to the above comment on the lack of room in the flight case:

I have just one Jepp binder, a POH, and a FOM. I still have room for the laptop and a book along with some snacks.

Mac can do a right click without a PC mouse. crtl + mouse button, or two fingers on trackpad + mouse button.
You have to set it up in system preferences to get the two fingers on the trackpad + mouse button. I am running Tiger, I think its a little different with Leopard.

Can't get my powerbook (OS 10.4.10) to do the two finger right click trick.. but when I use two fingertips on the trackpad, it works as a scroll bar. Just as handy, though.

My left hand hovers to the right side of the keyboard, thumb over the control key when I'm surfing and such. I don't miss the right mouse button at all. But.. as said.. hook up a PC mouse if you're so inclined.

Edit:: I forgot to mention.. My girlfriend just bought a Vaio, she got it with a zippered sleeve. It's a lot of protection (semi-rigid, foam padded) without a huge footprint. I'm about to go search for one. It'd sure help with trying to cram the laptop somewhere into the flight kit or overnight bag.

I'd second that. Imagine being snowed into an airport hotel for 2 days. I would've lost my mind if I didn't have the laptop.

As far as having lots of room in the flight case, I WISH! I have 3 2" Jepp binders, a 1" binder for all the miscellaneous pages, a CFM (2" binder) and an FOM (1" binder thats about to explode). I barely have enough room for a paperback, a flashlight and some funsize Kit Kats in there.:D