We have a Pilot's Assn at our airport in the mountains of S. Calif with 117 members. Approx 50-60 members come out for monthly hangar parties during the summer. Members like to eat and drink but not to fly anymore. As years have passed, it becomes hard or impossible to get folks to fly anywhere. Either they have aged and lost medicals or the cost of plane ownership has gone up dramatically as retirement funds for flying have decreased or their mental attitude has diminished. It's a handfull of the same few members doing all the work of organizing speakers, publishing newsletters or just putting out tables/chairs and cooking for hangar parties. I get fed up with the lack of participation and would like to hook up with active people and do trips around the western USA. I'm 74 and can afford flying because I built my own Experimental and do all the maintenance work on it and keep myself in physical shape to pass medicals. I hate sounding pesimistic but it does seem that GA flying is going away fast.
Bob I agree with you. But there could be light at the end of the tunnel. It's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease and just maybe things will change. I say this because I opened up my issue of AOPA's Flight Training and I see an article entitled " New Bill would expand driver's license medical" This has been going on now for a while. Without reprinting the story I must say you should read it.
This is what recreational style flying needs. Anything under 6 passenger is really great news and I myself hope to see this. If this does indeed go through I am rethinking my hole aviation dream. I will move from a SP to a PP asap.
Tony
I think the future of volunteerism is in jeopardy as I've noticed more and more people with their hands out to receive rather than out to give. As for club membership(s) declining, it relates to my initial response as well as people are getting pretty darn lazy these days too.
i could go on and on and on......
We have an interesting problem, from several angles. The aviation infrastructure is huge and very expensive to maintain. As a result, pretty much everything in aviation is designed to extract money from "the users" to keep up the infrastructure (and by "infrastructure" I'm including the resturants, FBOs, fuel trucks, everything). As the pilot population both declines and ages precipitously, they must be squeezed more and more, which drives the cost up and up, while we need to figure out how to reduce costs to entice new people. Nothing short of a radical paradigm shift will work here.
Ken I think you have it. This is the reason we see so many airplanes at airports rotting away. Also another reason why so many of us are flying small EAB and leaving the expensive flying to others. If I want to go on a trip I will by a ticket on one of the major airlines. If I want to have a nice afternoon in the sky I get out my EAB.
Tony
Hey all! I am a student pilot, almost done with my PPL, and I am a member of the local chapter. I love it, we have great people, everyone is friendly, but we do lack new members. Our club too is aging, and I really want to get younger people involved, make it more appealing to our younger generations.
As far as the cost of flying goes, it's always going to be there. You can't wait for the kids to grow up, or until you "have the cash saved" or teh zombie apocalypse ... you just need to do it!! With the cash I spent so far, I could have paid my new car i got a year ago off, could be living in a nicer house by myself without anyone else. But i wouldnt trade any of it! My spare money goes into flying, and until i am a CFI, teaching others, and watching them grow from it, I don't care the cost. I work a lot but it pays off.
Maybe advertise "open houses", put up flyers, welcome the public to the event, so they can see first hand what its about! Have fundraisers, that way you can expense a "plane ride" to one lucky winner!
When my mother found out i wanted to be a pilot i think she hit the floor, so i paid for a half hour in a boeing stearman for her birthday. she knew nothing of general aviation. now she loves it!!!! so make it known .... help the public be a part of the general aviation world, because it really is so different from the day in, day out commercial bus loads of pax going to and from whatever city.
i hope this may help, we just need fresh ideas. we all have the passion and that never changes
Beyond open houses, I actually think the EAB has a lot more to offer younger potential pilots then the certified world. This comes down to a combination of factors as I see it:
-- Ability to make it unique
-- Lower cost
-- Ability to tinker
The best avenue I think to get younger people involved in aviation is where they gather. Go to the schools, especially trade craft schools. Have them build/fly planes...
For now, between family and work I do not have the bandwidth. So I tend to stay out of the way, offer ideas and financial support. As soon as my youngest gets off to college or I win the lottery and stop working, I would like to be more active and maybe help address the problem of aviation's longer term health.
Tim
From the research I have done and my personal experience with a local EAA chapter, it appears most chapters are comprised of folks from the older generations. They have used successfully, or not, just about every idea and process over the years to grow their chapter as well as grow Private Aviation.
I'm of that older generation and I see a lot of other members in around my age and experience. We all want to get kids started and many chapters have been extremely successful with the Young Eagles programs, getting kids in the air and promoting the joy of flying. With that said, our society and aviation in general has changed since us older folks started our involvement with flying. I don't do social media! I don't do text! I email and post on forums, that's about it.
I think if we are going to be successful at bringing younger folks into aviation, one of the area is access to the kids, and probably the best folks to do that, are the kids. That is the younger flyers who relate to the younger generation and can use the tools and gain the access to our Young Eagle applicants. There are many other issues to overcome, but that doesn't mean some are unreachable.
Although the older chapter members have done a good job at trying everything under the sun, doesn't mean what has been tried before, will not work now. I always here from the seniors they are open to new ideas, but as soon as a new member brings up an old idea, the seniors are quick to shut them down. Failure once does not mean failure forever. Often the open minds which are actually quick to close, can be reopened by education showing the reality things today are not as they were. There can always be a new idea and old ideas that may work now, that failed in the past.
I'm one of those old guys, who dreams that aviation would return to the old days. We all know that is not going to happen, so if I want to fly, I need to embrace the new ways and find peace with new generations. The new generations just need to keep needling us old folks until they have made their point and we find mutual ground to pull together. Old dogs can learn new tricks......and as for myself......I really am open to new ideas, as long as I don't have to give up my six pack for glass!!!
tspear......for those interested in getting schools into aviation, the Chevak School Aviation program may be an inspiration. It certainly did inspire me viewing their website and their building of a Rans S-6S Coyote II. Here is the link for those who may want to follow some Alaska kids (and adult leaders) as they build and fly the Rans tailwheel....
http://chevakaviation.com/Welcome.html
For those who are disgusted with some of the older leadership in some of the EAA chapter, first I would ask them to recognize, that these older folks were once younger and they built their chapters. Younger flyers can do the same thing now as they did years ago, that is start your own chapter and fill it with modern energy.
Best Regards.......George
Last edited by Eagle Six; 04-18-2014 at 11:14 AM. Reason: spelling
George Dean
CP-ASMEL/I, S-6ES
EAA, APA, & AOPA member
KTYL/KGEU, EAA White Mountain Chapter 586 - Show Low Regional KSOW
"If you go down, go down standing up"
Some additional ideas for chapters:
Make sure your website and newsletter is readable on a tablet/phone.
Start a Facebook page, (that is where I see young families -not teens necessarily), of course, someone will have to manage it.
Start a Twitter account, (our newsletter is published automatically on Twitter - we just started using it).
Post events on EAA Calendar, Social Flight, Fun Places to Fly and local calendars, (we have to be careful about posting our breakfast locally as it will outrun our ability to serve - people here want to know more about the airport)
Get involved with state aviation group that promotes flying and get involved in their activities, (we have New Mexico Pilot's Association).
Trade newsletters with other chapters in your state and surrounding areas - take part in their activities.
Don't give up, its worth the effort.
Carl Bogardus, EAA 555 Newsletter Editor