Not exactly the sort of places to encourage
young aviators.


Our local FBO (and I use that term lightly), seems to do everything it can
to discourage new pilots. My kid's elementary school used to take all the
kindergartners to the airport and let them see a plane, sit it one, talk on
the headsets, etc. Now the FBO has informed them that they can't do that
anymore due to "security issues" involving 9/11. This is a very rural
non-controlled field with about 40 planes based there (but they are the only
show in town).

In the last four years, I've sent 3 people in to talk with them about
learning to fly. All 3 were treated like complete outsiders and all three
had the same conversation. I went in with the last one and sat in the lobby
area while he tried to talk to them about lessons. The conversation went
something like this:

FBO - (Sitting behind counter talking amoungst themselves)

Potential Student - (Walks in, stands at counter for 2 minutes waiting for
someone to help, then finally asks the guys sitting there "Excuse
me....I'm interested in learning to fly"

FBO - "Great! We rent our Cherokees for $75 wet and the CFI will cost
another $30 per hour"

PS - (not knowing what a Cherokee wet or a CFI is) "ooook....."

Awkward pause where the FBO needs to take over the conversation.....they
don't...they start chatting with each other again.

PS - "Excuse me, ok...so that's $105 per hour....how many hours do I need?"

FBO - "40" -

PS (still the one driving the conversation) - "Well, what do I need to get
started?"

FBO (seeming to be tiring of all the questions) - "Money" (they all
laugh).....Well you need to buy the student kit, which is $195 for your
ground school, then you'll need a good headset for about $350. Then you'll
need to plan on flying for an hour at least twice a week. If you can't fly
twice a week, your wasting your time"

PS - "Twice a week? I don't have time to do that. And that's also $210/wk.
Or $800/month! I can't afford that"

FBO - (and this is a direct quote) "Then I guess you'll never be a pilot"

PS - Leaves in disgust and to this day hasn't even taken an intro flight.