Article about this very thing........

Up, Up and ... Never Mind
http://www.flyingaggies.org/flightli...585&mode=print


I now its popular to blame cost for the decline. Yes, it is a factor I
know.

Perhaps it is the growth of our overly risk aversioned culture too.

Or the fascination with aviation most of us have had since kids is
failing to connect with younger folks today.

Less GA airports is not a big help either!


On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 18:23:32 -0000, Jim Logajan
wrote:

File this under "old news":

The number of student pilots in the U.S. peaked in 1968, declined for a
while before climbing to its highest (and last) peak in 1979. The highest
total number of pilots peaked the next year and has been declining since
then:

http://www.aopa.org/special/newsroom/stats/pilots.html

(Since 2002 there have been more CFIs than students.)

In 1980 there was 1 pilot for every 274 people.
In 2006 there was 1 pilot for every 502 people.

(Population of U.S. for 2006 rounded to 300,000,000 and for 1980 taken from
he
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demogra..._United_States )