Student Drop-Out Rates...why?

"John Doe" wrote in message
nk.net...



Aviation is getting old. I'm 40 now, and for 12 years have been the
youngest person hanging out at airport and the youngest person in my EAA
chapter. When a new guy shows up who's 28, he sees all the old farts
(maybe I'm one too in his eyes), and looks for a younger crowd to hang
with. This doesn't help.

KB


That's because the planes they're flying in are just as old. Some new
teenager or college student doesn't see much excitement when they come out
to the airport and they have to look at 1960s era Cessnas and they wonder
what's keeping the wings on.

Go to another FBO that has a fleet of new Cirrus or Diamond trainers and
you'll see a younger crowd.

This industry needs a major investment to retire all planes older than 20
years old and get some new metal on the ramp.


I think you are putting the effect before the cause. The FBO with the new
planes has them because the have pilots coming through. The fact that they
are young is just luck.

How many young pilots would there be if they all had to buy one of these new
planes? How many would ever start flying when they realized they may never
be able to afford to own one? As far as that goes, how many stop training
because of having to rent a plane? If the majority of us had to rent a car
"all the time" would we bother driving in the first place? Just something to
ponder...

Patrick
student SPL
aircraft structural mech

"Gig 601XL Builder" wr.giacona@coxDOTnet wrote in message
newsnlOe.2847$Ix4.463@okepread03...

"John Doe" wrote in message
nk.net...



Aviation is getting old. I'm 40 now, and for 12 years have been the
youngest person hanging out at airport and the youngest person in my EAA
chapter. When a new guy shows up who's 28, he sees all the old farts
(maybe I'm one too in his eyes), and looks for a younger crowd to hang
with. This doesn't help.

KB


That's because the planes they're flying in are just as old. Some new
teenager or college student doesn't see much excitement when they come
out to the airport and they have to look at 1960s era Cessnas and they
wonder what's keeping the wings on.

Go to another FBO that has a fleet of new Cirrus or Diamond trainers and
you'll see a younger crowd.

This industry needs a major investment to retire all planes older than 20
years old and get some new metal on the ramp.


I think you are putting the effect before the cause. The FBO with the new
planes has them because the have pilots coming through. The fact that they
are young is just luck.

"W P Dixon" wrote in message
...
How many young pilots would there be if they all had to buy one of these
new planes? How many would ever start flying when they realized they may
never be able to afford to own one? As far as that goes, how many stop
training because of having to rent a plane? If the majority of us had to
rent a car "all the time" would we bother driving in the first place? Just
something to ponder...

True. I had stopped flying for several months at times while I was renting
aircraft after getting my certificate. I had to force myself to go out to
rent a plane and get back into it.

As far as buying an aircraft, there are many good used aircraft available
for the price of a car, pickup, SUV, or boat. These aren't the
bigger/faster/newer planes but they're good for general flying. The bad part
is that the hangar rent, maintenance, insurance, etc., for owning a plane is
higher than owning a regular vehicle.

My most expensive purchases have been my car, my current house and my
plane-- in descending order. The annual costs for each would be the house
(taxes, utilities, repairs, etc.), the plane(hangar, maintenance, fuel,
etc.), then the car (insurance, gas, etc.), also descending.

--
-Greg B.
remove dot to reply

My most expensive purchases have been my car, my current house and my
plane-- in descending order.

Sheesh! What do you drive? Where do you live?

Jose
--
Quantum Mechanics is like this: God =does= play dice with the universe,
except there's no God, and there's no dice. And maybe there's no universe.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jose" wrote in message
news
My most expensive purchases have been my car, my current house and my
plane-- in descending order.

Sheesh! What do you drive? Where do you live?

Ok, my house and car were each about $25k. Living in the middle of nowhere,
there are cheap houses available. The problem is living in the middle of
nowhere. The 2 previous homes I've owned 'somewhere' were 3 to 4+ times as
much. My house, car and plane are all small compared to what a lot of people
care to have, but they're paid for and suit me fine. ;-)

The problem is living in the middle of
nowhere.

That's what the airplane is for.

Jose
--
Quantum Mechanics is like this: God =does= play dice with the universe,
except there's no God, and there's no dice. And maybe there's no universe.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jose" wrote in message
. ..
The problem is living in the middle of nowhere.

That's what the airplane is for.

Yup! Of course, I'd be living here in the middle of nowhere even without a
plane -- but wouldn't enjoy it as much.

On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 10:28:51 -0500, "N93332"
wrote in ::

As far as buying an aircraft, there are many good used aircraft available
for the price of a car, pickup, SUV, or boat. These aren't the
bigger/faster/newer planes but they're good for general flying.

Right. You can purchase a used C-152 for ~$20k, but a new LSA will
set you back ~$80k to ~$100k. :-(

I've heard it said that buying the plane is the cheapest part of the
aircraft ownership experience.

Ben Hallert
PP-ASEL

Ben Hallert wrote:
I've heard it said that buying the plane is the cheapest part of the
aircraft ownership experience.


To borrow from the boating set, the two happiest days of your life are the day
you buy and the day you sell your airplane.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE