"Jay Honeck" wrote ...
I only feel bad for the common men who gaze skyward, fruitlessly. What
a
shame.

Generally, they don't. They just fly planes that burn less fuel.

They would have to fly a plane that burned less than half the gas of a
Cessna 152 for French students to be on even keel with their American
counterparts. I'm not sure I know of any certified trainers that burn
just 2 - 4 gallons per hour?
--
Jay Honeck

Have a look at the multitude of airplanes that use the Rotax 912 or 912S
engine. The Diamond Katana is probably the best known in the US among the
certified breed.

But in addition there is the European ultralight (or microlight) category,
which is not to be confused with US ultralights - it's very similar to the
new US Light Sport Aircraft, albeit a little lighter (about 1100 lb vs. 1400
lb). Thousands of fly-for-fun pilots in Europe enjoy those planes, with one
or two seats and a Rotax or Jabiru up front.

The cost crunch hits hardest in the four-to-six person "transportational"
aircraft category. The European solution is the diesel engine, as seen on
the Diamond DA40 Star.

/ Nils