Maxwell writes:

You might not have to add weight. The auto industry seems to have avoided
it.

True, but lightweight soundproofing is more expensive. So you either pay in
weight or in materials cost. I suppose the lightweight stuff would save money
over the long run--but that wouldn't help if it made the aircraft too
unaffordable up front.

Perhaps not to you, but there are a lot of people out there that can easily
afford any small plane they choose. But they don't fly airplanes, ride jet
skis, motorcycles or bass boats. Most do however seem to drive a Lexus, or
something a whole lot like one.

A lot of people have simply not been exposed to anything else. If everyone
were given a chance to ride an airplane, jet ski, motorcycle, bass boat, and
Lexus, I daresay there would be far fewer Lexus drivers and far more people
using the other vehicles ... at least for purposes of leisure and enjoyment
(in terms of transportation, only the motorcycle can compete with a car).