I have just been reading an article in the US AOPA magazine about various schemes they run over there to make it easier for such pilots to return.
Despite US GA being very active compared to any place in Europe, they have the same issues: pilot population getting older, pilots giving up because of increasing regulatory issues (IMHO this is more perceived than real), rising costs of operating ageing aircraft…
I guess it depends on what led the pilot to give up in the first place. If it is a medical reason there are some ways forward even if limited to VFR (LAPL, UK NPPL). A lot of pilots give up under family pressure when children arrive. But I think many also just get bored with doing the same burger round year after year, and dragging oneself out of that loop takes a fair bit of motivation and probably a bit of money too… and if you give up due to boredom you probably won’t ever return because of the loss of currency and the steep hill to climb afterwards.
I have quit twice and been drawn back. When I quit again, it will be the end. Too much agro to draw me back again but I am still hanging on in the mean time. I have learnt to expect the unexpected which usually gets the passion flowing again and the agro becomes incidental for awhile. :-)
Peter wrote:
…you probably won’t ever return because of the loss of currency and the steep hill to climb afterwards.
I’m not so sure. After not even sitting in a light aircraft for 17 years, I only did 4 hours of training before successfully taking the checkride – and that included being introduced to an EFIS for the first time. The examiner skipped the debriefing because “there was nothing to comment on”. And I am certainly not an exceptional pilot when it comes to aircraft handling. (I might be when it comes to the EFIS 
)
Peter wrote:
pilots giving up because of increasing regulatory issues (IMHO this is more perceived than real)
I would not be that surprised….
EASA reg is a nightmare to follow and keep current !
During my holidays I printed probably all regs relating to non-commercial non-complex single engine flying. Just writing that gives an idea.
+ these days it’s hard to know what is in force and what will be in force, especially whane sometimes documents are cross-referenced and then one is in force and not the other one is not (NCO comes to mind ?)
Just last week I met one “older” guy with the most perfect and beautiful Lancair 320 that I (at least) have ever seen. It turned out he used to have twin and IFR rating and flew a lot earlier, all over the world. 15 years ago he got bored, and stopped. Then half a year ago he got hooked again, got back his PPL (SEP VFR for the time being) and bought this Lancair.
Obviously people with advanced ratings also gets bored. Getting back is surprisingly easy. I also stopped for 4-5 years and got back about 10 years ago, no problems.
I flew through solo and short cross countries when I was 15 and 16, but got bored :-) Life is different when you’re 16. I restarted at 38 and completed my license. The key issue for me was being able to own the plane.
Nice Lancair. A lot of them use (this one included) use the same engine and electric CS prop as my plane. O-320s are not hard to find, but mostly from planes with FP props.
I got my UK PPL in 1964. I realised I could not afford to keep renting and stopped flying in less than a year. I didn’t know about cheaper options at that time. I could afford sail cruising with a very basic boat. 22 years later, I could afford to fly, started lessons, and put the boat up for sale. The CAA specified the hours I had to do. I’ve been flying since.
