. . .to keep GA alive rather than point and yell at the horror of the price of a new Cessna that in name only resembles the 1966 version.
This statement is just flat out not true. A 2013 Cessna Skyhawk and a 1966 Cessna 172G are just about identical not only in form but in function. Other than the difference between a Continental O-300 vs a Lycoming O/IO-360 (
which are also little changed from their 1966 versions) practically everything firewall forward is identical. Clear down to the battery tray used to hold that very same battery you would have used in 1966. The airframe holds no new secrets in 2013 that did not exist on the 1966 version. The interior is just about identical all the way down to the seat rails that must be inspected for failure every annual. The only exception is the instrument panel. It truly has changed. Even so there is room for improvement on that price point as well.
I cannot buy your statement that these two aircraft are the same in name only. A 1966 Ford Mustang and a 2013 Ford Mustang are the same in name only, now that I can buy. But a 1966 Cessna 172G and a 2013 Cessna Skyhawk. Well the name is about the only thing that is NOT the same.
Also, most guys back in the day just had tie downs. Hangars were luxury. No insurance, etc. While I like having hangar access it could be said that's a big luxury today that I would not likely had in 1966 if I were alive back then.
Well, when it comes to hangars and insurance in the middle of the U.S., those are not necessarily luxury items. Hail and wind damage are not only real possibilities in this part of the world, they are truly real probabilities. So to advocate not having hangars available or that they are luxuries we really do not need is short sited thinking around these parts.
. . .Insurance? Well, thank our litigious society and Perry Mason reruns, don't try to change it by complaining. Training? We don't have to train in a G1000 182. It's quite possible to get your PPL in a glider for $1200 in a club. Do that for a season, then get a "airplane" add on for another $1000 in a Champ the next year. It can happen, it's possible and likely with some patience, ground work and more thinking than spending. As far as fuel, clearly fuel is a volatile commodity today, nothing new here and we can't expect much else in the future.
Back to Van's point, the future of GA is gonna be different than the past. Everything always works this way, time marches on and ignores tales of the good old days. The only constant is change. Clubs, shared ownership, different opportunities... this keeps the average Joe in a position to stay flying in a different time and age. There will still be guys looking to stay in. For every one guy who is sick and tired of spending on aviation, there are two more that will split the cost as long as there is a fertile avenue for them to get in and support from those already in to do so. I am one of them (I make a pretty good living but I save for college for my kids and retirement and I've already had a sizable amount of my retirement "stolen" from me once already by "corporate amerika", so I admit I look hard to save costs where I can and I am a co owner of a used Vans RV to justify my own participation for less outlay).
It does not mean we have to stop fighting regulation and costs but in reality there is little any of us can do about the price of 100LL except to get into flying RC airplanes. Most of the rest of the costs can be managed in one way or another with smart decisions and some concessions to the realities of today's dollar.
Fly safe everyone.
Not sure my statement of facts was meant to be a complaint but can see where you would read that into it. Actually my point was meant to show that the changes we are witnessing, and for the most part are accepting as the proverbial frog in the boiling pot of water, are even more drastic than we really think.
I do not believe there is '
nothing that could be done about it' though. We all can do big and little things that can make changes. As for my small parts that affect me as an individual, I built an experimental aircraft that far out performs anything I could have purchased in that same price range. I buy aviation fuel in bulk and keep it in a storage container for future use to offset the high costs of fuel. I do my own conditional inspections and repairs. I sought out and installed equipment from a company that does not continually gouge me with update fees that would far out pace the initial purchase cost of the equipment. I seek out the best options available to keep me in the game.
As for what I think we can do for the overall picture, we can lobby our government representatives to alter the current regulatory environment that is stifling change. We can buy from vendors who strive for change rather than the status quo. We can pursue use of alternative fuels, methods, products that affect overall change toward a different paradigm. I believe this is what you are stating in reference to forming partnerships or clubs. What I am stating is that we can do similar things in other more specific means when dealing with purchasing and owning our individual aircraft.
My motivation for stating what I did was not meant to be a complaint. No, it was meant as an analysis of the existing economic state and to lead up to the idea that:
"We can fight City Hall!", whether that City Hall be the government regulations or corporate greed that stifles the future of aviation.
One last caveat concerning Van's statements. The partnerships and clubs are well and good endeavors to pursue for those like you and me who are already invested in the aviation world. It does not address the true issues for those outside that world looking in. Those individuals are seeing the high price of entry and high price of sustainability. And I am talking about the overall cost of money, time and effort, not just the monetary costs. When they compare that to the monetary, time and effort involved to enjoy the other extra curricular activities they may pursue, they are quick to move away from aviation. That is what needs to be changing as much as anything.
Live Long and Prosper!