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Sansa or Nature Air
https://forum.costaricaticas.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=42001		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  DGD [ Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Sansa or Nature Air
I want to fly my novia to SJ from Quepos. I think in years gone by nationals got a discount on airfare--anybody know if that is still true?

Disregard, just called Nature Air, it's about a 20% discount.
Author:  Harddrive43228 [ Tue Oct 09, 2012 6:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
Nationals and residents can make reservations in colonies at a significant discount on Nature Air. I would have your gf call there local number to find out how to do it. I know that she will have take the reservation and probably pay for it.
Author:  Hobbie [ Wed Oct 17, 2012 3:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
You can also too natureair.co.cr. You have to show your cedular at the airport when you check in for the lower price tickets.
Author:  Nickphoenix1 [ Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
Nature Air has two motors, Sansa one
Author:  DGD [ Wed Oct 17, 2012 8:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
As you know, Sansa's single engines fly out of the Int'l Airport. Nature Air's twin engines (formerly Travel Air) flies out of the "in-town" airport, Balanos.

Alot of guys make their decision with seemingly smart logic based on that "two engine is safer" thinking. But, it hasn't proven to be a good indicator. Maybe because twin engine pilots require alot more skill? Alot of the pilots on both airlines seem really, really young to me. In fact, most of them. I fly both of them alot. Who knows, but in the cockpit, I'd like to see a few gray haired guys on occasion.

There are reasons Nature Air (formerly Travel Air) has changed it's colors/brand name at least 1x in the past 15 years and it wasn't change of ownership--it was change of image. They had a rash of crashes a couple of times that I can remember, granted not recently.

Google: "Stansfield Turner". He was CIA chief under President Carter. Long after he retired he was on vacation in CR. His plane he went down on take off at Balanos, killed his wife, a few others. He survived, first treated at Hospital Mexico in SJ, who no doubt did a great job getting him stable enough for him to be med evac'd to Houston. His flight crashed into a house right near the airport, tail up, and that plane stayed un-extracated for a long time, like months. Weird sight if that was in your flight pattern/view.

Another one flew smack dab into the side of the Arenal volcanoe killing 10, I think that was 2001. I remember that pilot was really young, like 21 or something sticks out in my mind.

About the same time, another crashed in the deep jungle headed to Quepos, took 5 days to find the plane and the few who survived. I think that one may have been Sansa, but Nature Air, Travel Air, Aero Taxi whichever they went by, has had more crashes since I've been going there.

Still, you would think a twin is safer than a single, right?

Edited numerous times for spelling. My keyboard is acting up, must have caught a virus.
Author:  Green Giant [ Wed Oct 17, 2012 8:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
With twins, if one fails the other will fly you directly to the crash site.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
Author:  DGD [ Wed Oct 17, 2012 8:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
Maybe that will make me re-think Nature Air or Sansa. But couldn't an above average pilot make it work with solo uno? I think that's why guys think I'm flying twins if I have a choice, no?
Author:  Tuanis [ Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
Last time I flew Sansa it was on their old DC-3. Used to fly it back and forth to Quepoes in the late 80's early 90's. Hell of a ride.
Author:  DGD [ Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
I didn't believe you. So I googled images "Sansa DC-3". You could have knocked me off my chair. Many photo's.

Sansa was indeed flying those giants locally suprisingly in that era. You were right and I am sorry I doubted you. That had to be "fun". What would they do with those giants after take off from SJ, circle and circle until they got enough alt to get over the peak/crest? Or fly south toward Panama or north toward Nicaragua and then double back along the coast?

Air fair had to be huge then, so my hunch is if you either worked for one of the govt's, a major corp, or were a millionaire.

I'd really like to hear how they'd get over or around the mountains in a DC-3 in that scenario. Quepos back to SJ is easy to figure, alot more miles/time to get up and over, but SJ-Quepos I am really curious.

Thanks.
Author:  Nickphoenix1 [ Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
this turned into a funny deal.

I will take my chance with 2 fans.....
Author:  Hank [ Thu Oct 18, 2012 12:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
I flew SANSA from SJO to Quepos. The terminal was old and on the other side of the international airport. No security it was great. About 20 minute flt. when we landed in"Quepos it looked like we were landing in the jungle. The runway was narrow and not real long. On the return flt I sat up front and there was a young 25 year old chica flying the plane. After all the passnegers got off the plane she told me it was her first flight. It was the best day trip I have taken and i arranged itmyself and paid $95 RT.
Author:  DGD [ Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
They've modernized the Sansa SJ terminal, and security searches are now in place, and the fares have roughly doubled in high season past 5 years or so. They do have a $80 r/t to Quepos special going now, which is what it used to be year round, but I think it ends soon, like 30 Nov? Go to the website if your interested.

They also used to offer a "skypass" for 1 week, fly as much as you want for $300. I used the heck out of that deal. I think Nature Air is still doing so.

One time landing in Quepos we had to do a modified version of a "touch and go", I think that's what pilots call it. There were four cows on the runway.

I always get a kick when they refer to it as "Quepos Int'l Aeropuerto", but that's what it's called. I always enjoy that flight, alot less so when there is complete cloud cover on top of the mountains. I think it's the "altimeter" that pilots look at to make sure they are high enough. Always kind of a nervous 5 minutes or so crossing the peak in those conditions.
Author:  Phoenix Rising [ Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
I've flown both no problems with either. To Bocas del Toro y Tamarindo... beats doing it on the ground
Author:  Tuanis [ Fri Oct 19, 2012 9:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
DGD They didn't fly over the mountains, they flew thru them !!
I can't tell you how many times I thought " one little down draft and we are phucked. Those were the days.
Author:  KBB [ Fri Oct 19, 2012 10:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Sansa or Nature Air
DGD wrote:
Alot of the pilots on both airlines seem really, really young to me. In fact, most of them. I fly both of them alot. Who knows, but in the cockpit, I'd like to see a few gray haired guys on occasion.

All local (aka "regional") airlines will have only young pilots. The reason is that pilots who eventually fly for the major all start in regionals flying props and small commuter/regional jets to build their hours. After several years and they build enough hours, they can apply to one of the big boys. An new law coming into effect next year will require airlines to only consider pilots with a minimum of 1500 hours as pilot in command, not as first-officer. It's a couple of years before they make captain. That's a lot of hours. You really don't want to see any gray hairs on Sansa or Nature Air, because it means that he's not good enough to get to an airline. Rarely do you see any 50 year old pilots in the regionals. And you rarely see any pilots under 40 in the majors, and if so, they're not captains.

DGD wrote:
Still, you would think a twin is safer than a single, right?

They are both safe planes. Both the Cessna Grand Caravan and the Twin Otter are highly used and highly reliable planes. Like somebody else said, the Twin Otter is more difficult to fly and require a lot more training. To give you an example, I could fly the Cessna. But I would not attempt to pilot the twin. Losing an engine on the Cessna isn't a catastrophe because you can glide to a landing somewhere. You don't need a lot of room either. Every pilot is trained to do a short-field landing on a single.
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