David Wright wrote:
Pretty sad. But consider also the thousands of Americans that don't own
an airplane ostensibly because they are "saving for their children's
college education". I don't know about the UK specifically but in most
of Europe, if your kids really are smart enough for college, they can
go, and if they aren't they won't be anyway.


Accurate, yes. That level of education is based on ability, rather than
ability to pay - and if your ability isn't up to scratch, you can delay a
couple of years and go in as a "mature" student, where - apart from the real
top levels of academia - you can be reasonably selective what and where to
study. You can even do it full/part time from home (normally online) and get
the same recognised degrees.

Now, to bring it back on topic, a JAA PPL gained in the UK costs around
$8500 US equivalent, and an ATPL around $110,000 US - how's that for value,
ha ha ha.


Yes, but fuel isn't most of that. And if it weren't for taxes fuel
there would cost what fuel here does. OTOH they have effective
passenger rail transport, we don't.