ComplexHiAv8r
Well-Known Member
Murdoughnut said:
Years ago but I did my high performance in a 182 in 1.1 hours and then took the plane for a week and VFR only from MI to MS and back. Put over 20 hours on it while gone.
The slowly death of General Aviation in the U.S.
- Thread starter jafra98
- Start date
Years ago but I did my high performance in a 182 in 1.1 hours and then took the plane for a week and VFR only from MI to MS and back. Put over 20 hours on it while gone.
jafra98
Well-Known Member
New report shows decline in general aviation
An MIT report lists factors contributing to a decline in general aviation, a major market for composites.
Posted on: 10/1/2012
Source: CompositesWorld
According to a General Aviation News article posted September 17, 2012, by Charles Spence, general aviation (GA) is going to have an uphill struggle to get back into the growth mode, according to a 92-page report released late last month. The report is based on the thesis of two researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which delves into the current and historic trends in GA in the United States. It was prepared with support from the FAA and various general aviation publications.
A positive side of the report shows the importance of general aviation to the national economy and the job market. In 2009, general aviation generated 496,000 jobs and its total economic contribution to the U.S. economy was valued at $76.5 billion. On the down side is the drop in numbers of pilots and activity. GA’s impact on the economy and jobs between 2008 and 2009 shows a 20 percent decrease in jobs and a 21 percent decrease in total economic impact.
There has also been a significant decreasing trend in the number of active pilots. The peak occurred in the 1980s. It decreased by 28 percent from that peak of 827,071 in 1980 to
594,285 in 2009. The number of hours flown has also decreased from its top figure in the late 1970s. Activity grew and production of new aircraft grew until this was set back by increasing
liability issues and increasing fuel costs. After action was taken in Congress to help the manufacturing industry, activities slowly recovered until in the 1990s war, natural disasters, and an economic downturn again slowed growth. Things began to pick up again slowly for a few years until the 9/11 terrorists attacks, increasing fuel prices, and a worldwide recession again put on the brakes.
The thesis also reports on a survey of 1,200 general aviation pilots, which confirmed what the trends were showing: Economic recessions and fuel costs are the major reasons that hindered growth. Another major factor cited for less flying was the availability of free time. When pilots were asked what would cause them to increase flying activity, they cited less cumbersome regulations, better access to aircraft through rentals and flying clubs, and decreases in costs. Some 13.4 percent of those questioned said they did not fly at all in 2011.
Surveyed pilots said the biggest problems facing general aviation today are increasing regulations, increasing costs, and a lack of public understanding of the role of GA. The thesis on which the report was based was prepared by Kamala I. Shetty and R. John Hansman to partially fulfill requirements for an MIT degree of Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics. Only U.S. airports with control towers were studied. Even here, however, general aviation accounted for 63 percent of the operations, indicating the significant role general aviation has. The report confirms what general aviation organizations recognize as a formidable task to assure continuation of conditions to safely fly today and create conditions for future growth. Groups are working together today on issues more than they have in years past. As an example, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) worked together closely at the two recent political conventions. AOPA and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) also are in close contact on issues
An MIT report lists factors contributing to a decline in general aviation, a major market for composites.
Posted on: 10/1/2012
Source: CompositesWorld
According to a General Aviation News article posted September 17, 2012, by Charles Spence, general aviation (GA) is going to have an uphill struggle to get back into the growth mode, according to a 92-page report released late last month. The report is based on the thesis of two researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which delves into the current and historic trends in GA in the United States. It was prepared with support from the FAA and various general aviation publications.
A positive side of the report shows the importance of general aviation to the national economy and the job market. In 2009, general aviation generated 496,000 jobs and its total economic contribution to the U.S. economy was valued at $76.5 billion. On the down side is the drop in numbers of pilots and activity. GA’s impact on the economy and jobs between 2008 and 2009 shows a 20 percent decrease in jobs and a 21 percent decrease in total economic impact.
There has also been a significant decreasing trend in the number of active pilots. The peak occurred in the 1980s. It decreased by 28 percent from that peak of 827,071 in 1980 to
594,285 in 2009. The number of hours flown has also decreased from its top figure in the late 1970s. Activity grew and production of new aircraft grew until this was set back by increasing
liability issues and increasing fuel costs. After action was taken in Congress to help the manufacturing industry, activities slowly recovered until in the 1990s war, natural disasters, and an economic downturn again slowed growth. Things began to pick up again slowly for a few years until the 9/11 terrorists attacks, increasing fuel prices, and a worldwide recession again put on the brakes.
The thesis also reports on a survey of 1,200 general aviation pilots, which confirmed what the trends were showing: Economic recessions and fuel costs are the major reasons that hindered growth. Another major factor cited for less flying was the availability of free time. When pilots were asked what would cause them to increase flying activity, they cited less cumbersome regulations, better access to aircraft through rentals and flying clubs, and decreases in costs. Some 13.4 percent of those questioned said they did not fly at all in 2011.
Surveyed pilots said the biggest problems facing general aviation today are increasing regulations, increasing costs, and a lack of public understanding of the role of GA. The thesis on which the report was based was prepared by Kamala I. Shetty and R. John Hansman to partially fulfill requirements for an MIT degree of Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics. Only U.S. airports with control towers were studied. Even here, however, general aviation accounted for 63 percent of the operations, indicating the significant role general aviation has. The report confirms what general aviation organizations recognize as a formidable task to assure continuation of conditions to safely fly today and create conditions for future growth. Groups are working together today on issues more than they have in years past. As an example, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) worked together closely at the two recent political conventions. AOPA and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) also are in close contact on issues
Murdoughnut
Well sized member
One day in a rental I realized I had burned $50 just sitting waiting for a takeoff clearance. That could have bought a lot of tacos.
KSCessnaDriver
Well-Known Member
So save some money and buy something. There are lots of airplanes to be had for the price of a lightly used car. They ain't pretty, fast or new. But they are there.
rframe
pǝʇɹǝʌuı
Yeah, but then you trade $50 taxi and run-up rentals and instead get to order $100 of screws and misc parts every month from Aircraft Spruce on top of all the fun parts you get to order throughout the year like new hoses, overhauled mags, rebuilt fuel valves, new tires, transponder checks, etc etc etc.
Either way aviation is all about emptying your wallet
Murdoughnut
Well sized member
I co-owned two - loved both planes, but even that got too expensive for my current family/life situation.
But the market is still overpriced. I'm waiting 5-years when the last aging holdouts finally cave in (or their estates do).
TrinidadGT20
Vice President of Awesome
Discouraging to read this thread. Sadly, this thread summarizes what I realized back ten years ago. I never did get my pilots license because of this.. 
SteveCostello
My member is well-known.
Either that or join a club or share. Spread the cost around to a few other
ComplexHiAv8r
Well-Known Member
SteveCostello said:
How is maintenance / overhaul done? There is a Saratoga up here within 400 hours of OH and the owner wants it paid on % hours used, and he doesn't have a fund already established. So OH will be done out of the 400 hours. He seems to have a problem getting more partners.
SteveCostello
My member is well-known.
Gosh... I wonder why.
IIRC, this club has a fund that gets paid into. Part of your $7k goes to it, as well as part of your $66/tach hour. So, it does not appear that there is any hanky panky as far as having to foot the bill for engine hours that you've never had a part of. That's... really lame. I would never partake in a partnership like that. Why should I have to pay for part of an overhaul on an engine I've never used? In addition, what owner in their right mind does not start saving up for the next overhaul on the very first flight after the last one?
rframe
pǝʇɹǝʌuı
Haha, almost all of them, hence all the runout airplanes you see for sale.
ComplexHiAv8r
Well-Known Member
rframe said:
I know a few companies with Cirri that plan to upgrade before parachute repack. That can be anywhere from $19-25k itself.
KSCessnaDriver
Well-Known Member
$7000 buy in? That seems steep, considering for $3000 more I bought a Chief. Just depends on what you want/need though. Experimental is where the real deals are
rframe
pǝʇɹǝʌuı
Discouraging to read this thread. Sadly, this thread summarizes what I realized back ten years ago. I never did get my pilots license because of this..
Ah, we all complain, and it certainly is frustrating because in aviation it often seems like we are our own worst enemies, prolonging really stupid policies and nobody actually does anything to fix rather simple problems... but at the same time, I love to fly, and to me it's worth it to find a way. If you're on a budget, then you just have to be very selective and careful with your choices. There are a lot of small choices one can make that can make the hourly operating costs vary $10-50/hour. If you want to fly, find a way and do it. In 20-80 years, you will be dead, so experience this life while you can and do the things you love.
Murdoughnut
Well sized member
Usually just means a higher fixed monthly rate to cover the loan. Our buy in for a 15-member club with a nice 172 was $1,300. $150 p/month fixed covering tie down, insurance and the rest of the loan. But that was with 15 guys.
rframe
pǝʇɹǝʌuı
Yeah, figuring an equitable club should have a buy-in of roughly the division of any capital and then monthly dues to cover fixed annual costs. So a nicely equipped analog Skyhawk with say an IFR GPS, nice interior, and paint could easily be valued at $50,000, so between 7 guys that would be $7,000 plus monthly dues of somewhere around $100 (hangar, annual, insurance, etc), then hourly should be basically fuel, oil changes, and engine reserves (about $70/hour for a Skyhawk). So that doesn't seem bad to me. It all depends on the equipment and capabilities you want to buy into.
jafra98
Well-Known Member
Discouraging to read this thread. Sadly, this thread summarizes what I realized back ten years ago. I never did get my pilots license because of this..
At least you should get a Private Pilot certificate, if it's on your bucket list just go for it.
KSCessnaDriver
Well-Known Member
Ah, I guess it make sense in an equity club. I'm not used to seeing many of those around where I looked into clubs.