"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...
Okay, we have gone 'round and 'round about why new airplanes cost so
much:
low demand, liability, inefficient manufacturing, regulatory
requirements,
etc. It is so daunting that Toyota appears to have scrapped its GA
project.

Perhaps one reason demand is so low is because of the cost of becoming
a
pilot. It takes most people about a year and $7,000 to learn to fly.
Can you
imagine what would happen to the boating industry if the government
imposed
similar regulatory requirements to learn to drive a boat? Most of
getting a
seaplane license, for example, is really demonstrating boating skills.
You
are basically being required to get a very costly license in order to
drive
a kind of boat. What if everyone who drives a boat had to do that?
Would
boating be safer? Would it be worth it? Would boating practically die
out as
aviation has?

--
Christopher J. Campbell
World Famous Flight Instructor
Port Orchard, WA

If one tries to establish a reason for the high cost of general aviation
in the United States, at any level you view, one has to factor in the
presence of the American trial lawyer into the cost equation.
Without lawyers influencing the cost factors, the price of the
airplanes, all peripherals, and even the cost of the training would be
much more reasonable.
At ALL levels, you will find cost factoring to either cover the cost of
litigation, or the FEAR of potential litigation.
Like every other major business the American lawyer has touched, general
aviation has not been spared the unending quest of the American trial
lawyer to fill his pockets with our money by capitalizing on our natural
desire to get rich quick.
It's a perfect system. Greedy and savvy lawyers taking advantage at
every turn of ignorant people also seeking a fast buck. The perfect
marriage!!!

The only losers in this equation are the people. The lawyers NEVER
lose!! after all.......they designed the system!!!!!:-)
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/ CFI Retired
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