Reovery in Aviation Activity

[DaleB]

It just seems that many are priced out.

Very true. Tell the new guy he's going to spend $6-10K getting his license, THEN he'll have to pay well upwards of $100 per hour to rent a 1970s vintage plane that will get him places a little faster than driving for several times the cost, and he can't fly in anything but good weather unless he doubles his investment. Or he can buy an old plane and spend thousands per year keeping it flying and keeping it in a hangar. It's no wonder that experimentals are the only segment of the market that are really doing well. But, most new pilots are not keen on homebuilts... and for valid reasons.

I think at least some of it is lagging outreach & education. Most non-pilots I talk to are unaware that they can just show up at the local airport and hang out, watch the planes and ask questions. The ones that do show up to let their kids watch the planes often act like they expect to be chased off by the cops. My non-flying friends are very surprised to hear that I can drive to the airport, go through the gate, pull my own plane out of the hangar, take off, fly somewhere (with a - gasp - FULL BOTTLE OF LIQUID if I want to), land, and not have to get permission, pay a fee, fill out paperwork in advance, file a flight plan or even talk to ATC. They're used to watching every move and word around the the TSA/Big Brother airport experience and are surprised to learn that it's not like that if you are not self loading cargo in a passenger terminal. It's hard to get people interested in something that they view as unapproachable.

[Bill Greenwood]

This has kind of gone away from what I was trying to ask, so I think Ill start another topic and try to make it more specifir to recent experience. Of course all replies are welcome.

[saber25]

To be succinct, at the non towered airport I'm based at, the flying tempo has not increased! Most of the non towered GA airfields I stop at show something similar or a decline. We don't have a impenetrable fence surround our field and people can more or less show up and look around. With my hangar door wide open and two neat homebuilts up front and center, I don't get many visitors inquiring about them. A lethargy of inquisitiveness I'm afraid. Maybe it's a generational thing.

[Gil]

Last year was incredibly busy at the FBO where I work as an instructor. I am part time, but I managed more than 300 hours of dual and turned out more than a couple of new pilots. This year the weather kept us slow in January, but with some better wx and more daylight, February has really picked up. We are considering buying another trainer and possibly adding another CFI.

[DaleB]

More on topic, I suppose: I have noticed a definite uptick in small GA activity at our airport. The FBO and flight school is under new ownership and had a complete overhaul. All new everything. Offices, self serve pumps, even the tired old Cherokee trainers have been replaced with Luscombe 11Es. The new owners are doing a lot to bring in business, and it's definitely showing.

The new FBO and increased activity are related, I'm sure. I'm not sure which is the chicken and which is the egg.

[bigdog]

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 got invited and with 6 N-numbers in my name there's a good chance I will every year. 5 of them are projects and one is a Navion I fly 200+ hrs/yr. This year, and last, I got asked to report on a project aircraft. Oh well...

[martymayes]

I guess I'll put my comments in the diluted thread......
Did some takeoff's and landings today to get my 90 day recent experience up to date for single engine. Had the airport all to myself. Not much activity. I don't go to the airport on weekends so not sure how that compares.


Some collected news stories from around the country:

Recreational golfing is in decline. ~150 courses are closing per yr over the past 4 yrs. One article blamed Tiger...??
Nascar says race attendance is down 40% from the high in ~2007.
Recreational motorcycling is holding steady- HD introduces a couple models specifically targeting groups in a refining market.
Recreational boating stats are similar to motorcycling - slowly getting back to mid 2000's levels.
Bombardier says biz jet delivery was down 18% in 2016.
Recreational aviation has been in a slump, another 15 yrs to get back to yr 2000's levels of activity.

The question is - If people are not flocking to any of the above activities, what is everyone doing for recreation / hobbies these days? Sitting at home? Protesting? Just curious more than anything.......

[DaleB]

Squabbling on Facebook, judging from recent experience.

(says the guy with no Facebook account)

[1600vw]

From what I have seen in the younger generation they can not keep their eye's off a tablet of some sort. There are a lot of older folks who are in the same boat. They can not even put these devices down to, drive, use the bathroom, eat, or sleep. So if you do not offer something in the forum of a app for a tablet good luck getting this generation to even notice.

This is why I say if the EAA wants more activity on sites such as this, they need to change their way of thinking. If you look at this site, there are days that maybe two threads are active. Sometimes a few more and its the same people posting. There a hand full of us who post. But if you look at the EAA membership how many members do we have? Then lets look at the numbers for the FAA. Lets take a look at how many NEW pilots we have in the forum of drone pilots now that they must be certified or registered. But yet we can not draw new numbers into aviation.

Seeing how it's not the FAA's job to promote aviation, the promotion of aviation lies with each and every one of us in aviation today. But more so with the EAA. But the folks or powers at be at the EAA have their minds closed to these new group of people whom only look at tablets or computer screens. These people are connected to the web like no other group. But how many come here?

IMHO the EAA is dropping the ball by not having a Simulator site. Or a portion of this site where one can log in and fly with other EAA Members. from what I have read on this subject those powers at be believe these sims are nothing more then a game. They do not want people coming here to play a game. That is closed mind thinking. If you want new blood in aviation it should start with the EAA with little steps like this. How many new drone pilots do we have today registered at the FAA. But yet we cannot draw any of these new found aviation nuts into aviation. If the powers at be would look at programs like FSX as a training device and not a game and then open this up to their website, IMHO they would draw in some of these techno group who are always on-line or connected.

Now you could say I went way off topic into outfield with this talking about simulation and not aviation. But it will be this simulation that will bring new pilots into aviation. IMHO. To stand on the tarmac and say as loud as you can. WERE ARE ALL THE AVIATORS, that will get you nothing but a echo of your own voice.

When you see numbers on sites like this increase you will see an increase in the real world. Until then its us few who keep coming back that will try and hold things together. Once we are gone who knows what will happen. Hopefully someone will be there to take up the slack. But if we loose three and gain one, someday this will be done.

As too the question posted. I have been flying for under 10 years. In my area in this time I have seen 5 airfields shut down and completely removed, all in the last 3 years. They are no more. That right there says a lot.

Tony

[1600vw]

Very true. Tell the new guy he's going to spend $6-10K getting his license, THEN he'll have to pay well upwards of $100 per hour to rent a 1970s vintage plane that will get him places a little faster than driving for several times the cost, and he can't fly in anything but good weather unless he doubles his investment. Or he can buy an old plane and spend thousands per year keeping it flying and keeping it in a hangar. It's no wonder that experimentals are the only segment of the market that are really doing well. But, most new pilots are not keen on homebuilts... and for valid reasons.

I think at least some of it is lagging outreach & education. Most non-pilots I talk to are unaware that they can just show up at the local airport and hang out, watch the planes and ask questions. The ones that do show up to let their kids watch the planes often act like they expect to be chased off by the cops. My non-flying friends are very surprised to hear that I can drive to the airport, go through the gate, pull my own plane out of the hangar, take off, fly somewhere (with a - gasp - FULL BOTTLE OF LIQUID if I want to), land, and not have to get permission, pay a fee, fill out paperwork in advance, file a flight plan or even talk to ATC. They're used to watching every move and word around the the TSA/Big Brother airport experience and are surprised to learn that it's not like that if you are not self loading cargo in a passenger terminal. It's hard to get people interested in something that they view as unapproachable.

It does not have to be this way. Just the other day I was speaking with a young man. He told me he has a friend who is a CFI. This friend of his offered him a PP ticket for under 2 grand. I had to explain to this young man that if he passed this up he would regret it the rest of his life. I told him that most will ask 7-10 grand for this ticket.

My point, if aviators would help other aviators like this young man's friend, all of aviation would benefit. There are those in this world who will help you and not break the bank. But they are few and far between. But it does not have to be this way.

Tony