In article Denny writes:

Well, it is 1 Feb and Fat Albert is out of license this morning, and I
am Mr. grumpy... First time in over 40 years of owning I have had my
airplane just sitting there in flyable condition, out of license...

Waiting months while the mechanic promised he would get to the static
system check "next week" was probably the thing that really turned the
corner for the demise of my plane. :-(

I heard later that he had had serious health problems (explaining why
he was so frequently not there). Hooking the plane to the car and towing
it to another airport was not really an option, so it waited. And waited...


Multiple comments read and noted... There are no easy answers to the
dilemma of GA... The increasing costs of everything are driving folks
out of flying...

Indeed. As another pointed out, the costs of owning have gone way up.
The cost of fuel has become painful for even a couple of casual pointless
hours in a 172.


The increasing regs and draconian penalties for
crossing an invisible line on the ground are driving folks out of
flying...

Indeed. We used to have freedom to fly, now we are treated as if
everyone in an airplane is a terrorist (other than airlines and a few
special blessed activities).


The decreasing hours flown are hurting FBO and mechanics...
It is a vicious circle...

As noted elsewere in this thread, many of us have to be price sensitive
about maintenance -- it is that or not own a plane. But the mechanic has
to eat and pay his rent, too.


Building an experimental is one solution... I am persuing that, but
working 12 hours a day seems to get in the way of my motivation...

If you have the space and time. I once read the note that if your goal
was to build an airplane, then build. If your goal was to fly, then building
was probably the wrong way to get there.

Considering the cost of space for the construction for the number of years
needed, and the time required, building can get pretty expensive. We don't
all have large workspaces and appropriate tools already available.


LSA is a partial answer - and might be in my future as I continue to
age (hopefully, I will continue to)

Prebuilt S-LSA might be an answer, though one has to do a 120 hour
class to be able to inspect/maintain one of them (and you will still
need the tools and space to do it). Even so, the price of the S-LSA
is pretty substantial as well.

As one who enjoys night flight, and likes to do cross-country a
little above 10,000 feet, LSA doesn't look like it really cuts it.


So with government restrictions (which will probably never go away),
and costs continuing up, I wonder if I will become another who has
left aviation, not to return.


Alan