Mike,
Like the required minimum times for a Rec or a Private Pilot, it is just
that ....the minimum. I worry about folks who think the goal should be the
minimum. I focus on being a proficient pilot. How many hours that takes me,
well it will just be how many hours it takes me! I hope to be wrapping up
soon timewise. At around 20 duel, but still need cross country and solos.
Lack of ability to fly a sport plane locally can add to the time as
well. I started in Cherokee/Warrior , 8.5 in those, and then started on
taildraggers ..and it really was alot like starting over. Add in there that
I am also doing spin training, which most Private Pilots nowdays don't do I
am told..and yep it is going to run me over the minimum hours. I want to be
good, not a minimum
I will finish up on the controlled airspace endorsement and the 87 knot
endorsement too. I think doing all of that will make me a good rookie pilot!
When I get my certificate I will be like every new pilot, I will have a
certificate to really learn.
One thing is true..the sport pilot rule has alot of prices jacked up !
Old planes that you could hardly give away before are selling like hot cakes
for a good chunk of change. And prices on new ones are jacked up as well. As
for their rental..they are a sport plane, no matter how new and
shiney....none are speed demons. They can only cruise at 120 knots no matter
how slick it looks. It will not have the payload of most GA
airplanes....it's a sport plane. I can rent an Archer for 100 bucks, a 172
for less than that. They are not new...but the old "sport planes" can be
rented pretty dern cheap. 57 an hour last time due to a rise in gas cost.
Good deal if you ask me!
Let us this as a scenario for comparison. If you went to a car rental
place and they had a 2000 Mustang GT for 100 a day, or a Focus for 100 a
day......which would be rented? Right , you can bet your sweet bippy the
Focus is staying parked. Now put sport plane(plane by hour of course) in
there instead of Focus. Still is going to stay parked more than any other
one. Lower the rate of the Focus or sport plane to 60 and by golly it's a
miracle ,there is a demand. I think new sport planes are going to have to
accept the fact that they are a sport plane always will be! For a salesman
to compare a sport plane to normal new GA is IMHO ridiculas.
No matter if you put a glass panel in it or not..it still has the same
cruise , the same gross weight and all the other limitations. I'll be the
first to admit alot of folks (especially if they have money to burn) would
have to fly anything with the latest "Gizmo" in it. But that group is not
what is going to make or break sport pilot. Normal everyday folks wanting to
fly as cheap as possible will. You have to get them in there..130 bucks an
hour is not going to do that.
Make that rental so it even attracts regular PP's and wow look at how
much your plane is getting rented out. I don't know of many PP's that would
rent a sport plane for what they could rent a 25 year old faster plane for
especially if they wanted to actually go on alittle trip. Right now there is
a difference as to what is cost effective to FBO/owner and the consumer. We
all know if the consumer does not see it as cost effective they won't do it.
No consumer, another aviation biz bites the dust.

Patrick
student SP
aircraft structural mech


wrote in message
ps.com...
.. Of course
how can anyone get a license in only 20 hours but that's another story.