Do remember who is pulling the strings and putting cash on the table at the US engine makers now. They will plan and build for their own home market and leave the US to get on with the programme.
Once a company calls its own product “legacy” the writing is on the wall in big blinking neon letters.
Ummm …. I fly from an airport with 650 light aircraft ops/day. Several new RVs are being flown daily worldwide, including a friend of mine’s this coming weekend. They have Lycoming engines, go 200 mph, climb 2000 fpm and cost $70K USD.
That is better than diesels.
The US GA scene is getting older every year. Their aviation press is full of this, and their AOPA is on the case, as far as anybody can do anything about the socio-economic factors etc etc.
It may well be that over the next decades we will see the non-CofA aircraft continue to rise in capability (both actual and legal) and displace the CofA ones totally, and that would work within the USA (as a region) and within Europe (as a region) but right now we have what we have which is a legally crippled (and substantially capability crippled) non-CofA fleet, and a legally fully capable and functionally relatively capable (depending on how much you want to pay) CofA fleet. I can’t see this changing in the next 10-20 years, because of the amount of money which the CofA fleet is feeding into the bottom of the regulatory food chain.
Peter, from my POV and in my circumstance there has never been a better time to be flying. Wonderful aircraft are available for a number of my labor hours that’s really advantageous, and the amateur built market has matured into the most practical, highest performance way to aviate in a new aircraft (Dick VanGrunsven should get a medal). The FAA 3rd Class medical requirement may possibly disappear for my activities. It’s probably the only benefit of being on the trailing edge of the Boomer generation, but I’m happy to work with the demographics and technology the way they really are. It was a wonderful thing that technology was poured into aircraft of the 20th century, taking them to being completely practical devices before cars got there, and simultaneously embodying the ‘last forever’ philosophy of the pre-1960s generations. I am the direct beneficiary and I appreciate it 
Many of those factors are not true to the same extent in Europe, which as you know is one reason I don’t live there, but in most cases its idiotic politics that have created the situation. I wish all parties the best in fixing that problem, wherever it might occur. Diesels seem to me a solution in search of a real, non-political problem. In Europe, fixing the geographic and operational limitations on auto fuel burning amateur built aircraft would be a great start, and help defuse the EASA debacle.
And you think the affluent Chinese will want to spend months in a garage building RV’s Silvaire? We’re talking about the country where they had to enforce restrictions on sales of 10k handbags to no more than one per person.
GA doesn’t belong to the US any longer.
Shorrick, you’ve clearly got a personal agenda, but it’s really of no concern to me. Carry on
In answer to your question, but without responding to that agenda, I think for the foreseeable future RVs will be the most produced GA type worldwide and that they will continue to use Lycoming engines.
In answer to your question, but without responding to that agenda, I think for the foreseeable future RVs will be the most produced GA type worldwide and that they will continue to use Lycoming engines.
Silvaire, the US also keep producing and installing this toilet which — for a foreign visitor — is just old, ugly, wasteful and simply outdated. I am sure it has the benefits of PMA parts and infinite repairability but to be honest, I am glad I don’t have to sit on one very often. I would be equally glad to no longer sit behind Lycomings and Continentals
Let us know when you buy a diesel aircraft engine and why you bought it.
You’re right of course Silvaire. It’s just sad to be stuck with ancient technology.
I like to call it realism but you’re welcome to call it an agenda.
Here’s three quotes for you to ponder upon:
“It doesn’t matter if a cat is black or white as long as it catches mice”
“In order for our country to progress we must allow some people to get richer before others”
Both ca. late 60es
“China will have a stock market of its own” – @CBOE, 1986
All by Deng Xiaoping.
Other than that I also have a Nokia phone to give away :-)
