On Dec 20, 10:06*pm, M wrote:
Dead in the winter, and 100LL is averaging $4.63/gallon at airnav.com,
higher than this summer. *This is a first.

I try to be optimistic about flying and all, but it increasingly looks
like we'll have an average $5.5/gal summer in 2008.

Maybe take a look at soaring? Unpowered sailplanes are really cheap to
fly if there's lift. Back in 1994, I had one three day soaring trip at
Truckee, CA (a great soaring location admittedly), when I belonged to
a club, that cost me $90 for three tows (one per day, at $30 each) and
$10 for two nights lodging -- in the bunkhouse, with a sleeping bag.
The ship was no additional cost since I belonged to a club (then about
$70/month dues) and, during the week, I could reserve it for three
days at a time. Weekends are another matter. Today, I'd expect those
numbers are roughly double, but still way below what it costs to fly a
power plane.

Admittedly, there are some problems with getting from point A to point
B in a glider, but for the sheer fun of just being one with the air,
nothing beats it, especially if cost is an issue. If you want to get
places, maybe consider a motor glider. Since 1995, I have flown one
and burn less fuel going places than if I drove. Admittedly the
maintenance is a lot more than on a pure glider, where there's almost
nothing to go wrong, but no worse than a typical Cessna or Piper, and
probably better.

Soaring is not for everyone, or every use, but it is something that
more power pilots ought to consider. If you want to find a soaring
site, take a look at the SSA (Soaring Society of America) website's
"finder"

http://www.ssa.org/sport/wheretofly.asp

or check around in your local area as some may not be listed on the
above site.

Every power pilot I've spoken with who also has flown gliders agrees
that it makes you a better pilot. Among other things, if you should
ever lose your engine, there's no substitute for having done real dead
stick landings and seeing that they really can work, and the inability
to do a go around is a luxury, not a necessity.

Hoping this helps some people.

Martin