What do people see in aviation related activity these days?
Has the recovery in most economic conditions carried over to gen aviation?
I am seeing quite a bit of corp jet and business flying, but not sure about light gen aviation.
Attendance at SUN N Fun in a few months will be one indicator.
I wonder if the lack of responses to this thread has in indication as to the answer you are looking for?
Tony
I can't speak for others but our little airport owned by the flying club has probably tripled in membership size during the past few years. Where we had maybe 10 active members we now have around 35 and it's a place to fly into on Saturday morning for coffee and conversation. A few of us are there most of the time and being retired it's a place to hang out, work on the planes and even doing a little flying. Of course (and here's the kicker) most of us are well over 50-60 years old. What that does for the future it's hard to say. On the other hand I often visit a large community airport when I'm wintering in another state and see very little activity. Not to mention the airport up the road where the gate is locked and basically everyone is too busy to visit with a stranger. Here's what I think it gets into: a vested interest in your airport, a social place for pilots (and those who might be interested in flying) to hang out with a coffee pot, free water, drinks (so what if it cost the local club a few bucks over the long run) and good leadership. In addition, we all kicked in $500-1000 bucks this year and built a new club house. Politics aside this was all done without a dime from the government.
If God had intended man to fly He would have given us more money!
Our local airport was super busy yesterday, as matter of fact there was no more parking, many corp and time charter jets so that planes were even waiting on the deice pad off the side of taxiway which was not needed with warm day.
Pres week is of course a busy time, more than normal.
Recntly had the x games which had tens of thousnads of vistiors but of course most were driving not flying in.
We dont have nearly as much light private gen av planes, but did see some.
The FAA GA and Part 135 survey is currently underway. Once again, they didn't invite me to participate
The current FAA forecast shows GA will return to 2006 activity levels sometime around 2030. Maybe this yrs survey numbers will move that up a couple yrs?
I know one thing for sure the (bigger) airport up the road isn't as busy with flight training as it was when I was working on my license almost 40 years ago. They had probably 4 152's, couple of 172's and a 182 along with a 310 and you had to schedule your time or the plane wasn't available. Not so nowadays. Probably biggest reason is cost especially if you own. Hangar space costs of $250 and up is enough to drive the average owner to a smaller airport. I'd say we get at least an inquiry a week wondering if we have any hangar space available.
If God had intended man to fly He would have given us more money!
I was sitting by the window through the full 8 hour I.A. Renewal at Boeing Field in Seattle. Of the 203 single engines based, I only saw two flying.
About 30 corporate jets arrived or departed.
One speakers talk was about ADS-B. After the talk one commenter said most of the underused derelicts at the field will be scrapped, rather than be upgraded with ADS-B in 2020.
Last edited by Bill Berson; 02-21-2017 at 06:37 PM.
I found this analysis interesting and you can draw your own conclusion.
ICAT REPORT SHETTY.pdf FAA statistics on pilots and planes.pdf
From my observation of and involvement in GA for nearly fifty years, it will take something short of a miracle to keep this sector dynamic. Right now it appears to be on life support and the FAA forecasts have always been far too optimistic. I don't even see kids flying at the RC field co-located at my airfield. Just a bunch of old butts flying their models with no young blood to carry on.
Unless the individual decides to make a career out of aviation, there are simply too many other activities that are less expensive and require less involvement than being a private pilot and perhaps aircraft ownership. For me to afford this hobby and lifestyle, I built my airplane and bring the cost of ownership to a reasonable level since I also do my own inspections and maintenance on an RV4 and a Pitts. I do my best to keep the yearly hours flown above average by exercising both planes weekly.
Last edited by saber25; 02-22-2017 at 09:40 AM.
Agreed with the above. I see lots of folks who start flying and then realize the actual costs and lack of utility when is comes right down to it and drop out. Even renting at $100+ per hour doesn't take long to run up a pretty big bill and if one intends to fly say 25 hours a year that money could be spent for the family elsewhere. I'm lucky as I fly a cheap plane (Champ), can do a lot of my own maintenance (have an understanding IA) and own my hangar on a club owned grass strip but many people are not in those circumstances. It just seems that many are priced out.
If God had intended man to fly He would have given us more money!
Log-Log and Semi-Log graph paper is dangerous stuff to put in the hands of long range planners without an engineering or math degreeOriginally Posted by martymayes
The FAA GA and Part 135 survey is currently underway. Once again, they didn't invite me to participate
The current FAA forecast shows GA will return to 2006 activity levels sometime around 2030. Maybe this yrs survey numbers will move that up a couple yrs?.....
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