A decade before you were born, I started GA flight training. GA was a robust growing industry with a bright future (I thought). The local airport was a busy center of activity. Today, more than 3 decades later, GA is just a mere shadow of what it was. GA is not just fine. It has Cancer.
GA will not be a path to the airlines.......
- Thread starter seaav8tor
- Start date
A decade before you were born, I started GA flight training. GA was a robust growing industry with a bright future (I thought). The local airport was a busy center of activity. Today, more than 3 decades later, GA is just a mere shadow of what it was. GA is not just fine. It has Cancer.
A150K
Well-Known Member
The future is kind of bleak. I can say that 9 times out of 10 I am the youngest pilot at any given airport in my early 20s everyone else being 40+. Not the greatest sign and GA is the foundation of most of the rest of aviation.
Apophis
Resident Iconoclast
Wow. This.
I almost feel out of place sometimes, it isn't a good sign at all for General Aviation.
Patrick
Well-Known Member
Me too. 40+? How bout 60+! LOL. There just aren't enough younger people learning to fly, and the majority of those that are, have zero interest in ever flying for a living.
Inverted25
Well-Known Member
Not seeing a bunch of 20 year olds doesnt bother me. 20 year olds generally dont have the money to just fly for fun. Where I learned to fly and at the surrounding few airports, most the students arent proffessional pilots but guys just learning to fly for fun. We had 30 people in our groundschool that just completed and 25 are now signed up and flying with instructors. The youngest out of that group is 28. The majority are over 40. That seems to be the age that most people have the disposable income to get into flying. I'm not saying that GA hasnt seen a decline since the 70's and 80's. But I dont think that GA is dissapearing as fast as some people think. At least not in this area. And this isnt a large metro area either.
And back to the training side of things. I think your just going to see more deals between schools like Embry Riddle and ATP and the regional airlines to guartee interviews and what not.
And back to the training side of things. I think your just going to see more deals between schools like Embry Riddle and ATP and the regional airlines to guartee interviews and what not.
HVYMETALDRVR
Well-Known Member
It depends where you live at, GA is doing just fine down here.