Yes, even in the “land of GA” they have problems with people wanting to do stuff which gives them a more instant return.
But their numbers are still pretty healthy, compared to Europe where whole countries have almost no GA, except possibly some ultralights operating out of country strips, under the radar.
The feeling I get in the US is that I’m enjoying something that many others have lost, even while it’s easier now than ever. When looking down at miles of mountains and valleys rolling by, and then coming down in some place unannounced, I get the feeling that it’s not just flying that some people may have lost, it may be the entire feeling of freedom, movement and independent action. I’m happy not to have done, but OTOH it only means there’s more freedom for those who choose it.
On Saturday, I flew 400 miles out with a friend, landed at a residential airport where I met a guy and bought a ‘new’ (to me) motorcycle, then rode the bike home while my outbound passenger flew the plane home. I was back by dark and had dinner with my wife. I think all of that’s better than playing with my phone 
Peter wrote:
But their numbers are still pretty healthy
I was thinking about this the other day, noting how few other aircraft (or pilots) I met on my trip to CES and along the Cacades. I reckon this steep decline, with the same overheads, is a harbinger of bad things to come. Right now, it’s a paradise, with huge empty airports and FBO’s delighted to have a customer, even if it’s only a 172. Here’s the transient ramp at Northtown (North Las Vegas, VGT) during the world’s largest trade show: (Allegedly)
(I’m 2nd on the L, front row. No, not the jet! Not so many years ago, these lines would have been full. Maybe they’ve all gone to Henderson, but I don’t think so)
Perhaps the real Q is how long before the FAA funding scheme is terminated. Then it will come crashing down at many places. It will become like…. Europe!
Reading Silvaire’s post, and all those letters to AWST whingeing about cost (This in America!!) reminds me of the phrase: “Price of Freedom”.
Is it really true that the lowco airlines, with their ghastly security nightmares, have eaten all this independent air travel business? This year’s CES claimed bigger numbers than ever at 200k +.and the town was totally rammed like never before.
As Silvaire says, private flying has never been easier. Foreflight has made a huge difference at the VFR end and to be honest, it’s never been more affordable in real terms.
Maybe these phones are really good. I must get one.
Peter wrote:
Perhaps the real Q is how long before the FAA funding scheme is terminated. Then it will come crashing down at many places.
I don’t realistically see changes coming in regard to the way the US maintains aviation infrastructure. All aircraft in the US (commercial and private, VFR and IFR) are integrated into one system, and there’s a recognition of the value of stable infrastructure. Anybody in Europe will understand its a lot easier to build government infrastructure and funding than it is to terminate it, the difference being that in Europe there never was a complete aviation infrastructure.
I would agree that in US aviation, regulatory change at this point would typically be negative for the private aircraft owner/pilot.
Aveling wrote:
As Silvaire says, private flying has never been easier. Foreflight has made a huge difference at the VFR end and to be honest, it’s never been more affordable in real terms.
Yep. There is something just great about flying a simple, relatively inexpensive plane a long way without flight plan or ATC (as I did on Saturday), cruising along at 7500 ft with 2X moving map portable GPS telling you all you need to know. Then landing at an unattended airport and meeting somebody unassociated with the airport who is waiting for you, sitting on a bench near the self serve fuel pumps
BTW one of the devices running moving map GPS was my mobile phone
Not so fast. There really seems to be a turning point right now. I base this on real-life observations where I fly from, Santa Monica KSMO.
1) I am member of a flying club (equity group, in UK parlance) that owns four Cessnas (2×172, 1×182, 1×210). Membership is limited and we currently have a waiting list for people who want to join. The really interesting thing, however, is the demographic mix: there’s a big group of us who are in the late 50s / early 60s, pretty much nobody in their 40s (!) and then another big group in their 20s / early 30s. AFAIK all/most of the new entrants are in the latter group. To my mind, this shows a renewed interest in aviation among the young generation. Most of these people, btw, work in some sort of ‘Silicon Valleyesque’ company.
2) the flight schools are busy, especially one that operates a fleet of Light Sport airplanes, thus bringing the training cost down.
3) the long-awaited pilot shortage is here. Regionals are starting to pay sign-on bonuses and aviation is becoming a viable career option again.
4) the ramps at Van Nuys (KVNY) are chocker-block full with biz jets. A friend has his airplane based there and is complaining about congestion!
@Silvaire: Amen to you entire post!
@172driver, is there a significant % of women in the “young” group?
I have always been convinced that getting women (age not really relevant) into GA is an essential part of revitalising it.
@Peter, not in our club, but the flight school seems to have more girls learning to fly than boys. At the occasional BBQ they lay on, there always are more women than men! That said, I don’t think your assertion is correct, I certainly don’t need to go to an airport to meet women. In any case, there obviously is a sizeable intake of ‘fresh blood’ into aviation, now that it’s becoming a career option again.
172driver wrote:
I base this on real-life observations where I fly from, Santa Monica KSMO.
Just a few days I read an article detailing how more and more people have been moving to the big US cities and away from the smaller communities. This also has an enormous effect on the geographic distribution of the country’s wealth – actually people are moving where the jobs are, and it is a kind of self-perpetuating force.
Having a higher percentage of the population living in big cities automatically means that less of them will have access to convenient, small airports with enough of the freedom (i.e. no class B or C airspace close by) that Silvaire is talking about, and also that the bigger city pairs served by commercial airlines become more advantageous for travel as opposed to flying the same routes on small GA planes.
Looking out from within such a densely populated, high growth area may bias your perception. I don’t think that Santa Monica is anywhere near representative of what is happening in the rural USA.
