It's not the age of the planes, per se. It's:

- the crappy cracked headliner, plastic trim, etc.
- minor bits of hangar rash that some A&P signed off as flyable.
- torn up seats
- musty "grandpa" smell (perhaps with cigar thrown in)
- powdering old paint job
- list of "minor" squawks that will *never* be addressed because
they're not "safety of flight"
- paleozoic avionics

If FBOs would just "spiff up" their planes, they could get much of the
benefit of new AC without the major investment. After all, the new AC
perform similarly. I don't understand why so many FBOs have an attitude
towards maintenance that is basically "maintain aiworthiness; nothing
else matters."

-- dave j

PS -- I've taken most of my friends and s.o.'s up over the years, and
everyone comments on that musty smell. What's the deal with that? Can't
something be done. I'm not kidding. A little can of "new airplane
smell" perhaps?