On Jun 22, 9:44*pm, Steve Hix
wrote:
In article
,

wrote:
On Jun 22, 3:55 pm, wrote:

And since it is doubtfull you could build an airplane with automated
machinery that inputs sheet steel, stamps out parts, and spot welds
them together, airplanes will likely always be labor intensive to
build.

* * * * I dunno. When I learned to fly in the 1970s I asked the Cessna
dealer how much a new 172 cost. "Way too much," he said. "$21,000."
It WAS a lot, considering that I was making maybe $14000 a year, so it
would have cost me 1.5 years' salary.
* *Now a 172 costs well over $200k. What happened? $200K is a long way
past 1.5 times my salary.

Back in the early 70s the FBO I worked for bought a new Piper Fliteliner
(PA28-140) to use for instruction. $20K.

Two years later, they bought a basic new Warrior to help keep up with
the growing student load. That one was $107K.

I blame the lawyers, and the liability issues that followed in their
train.

Perhaps indeminfication of the manufacturer could become standard for
certain types of aircraft. States life California might not allow it,
but some states might.

-Le Chaud Lapin-