Are People Still Flying As Much Around You?

Jay,

I am planning for our return trip to Mena, AR to pick up our newly
painted plane and fly it back to Poughkeepsie, NY this weekend. The
fuel prices at all major stops (controlled tower with ILS approaches
etc) are around $5/gal. This will add $200 or so to fuel cost for this
trip in comparison to the pre-Katrina price of $3/gal. We will have to
divert to smaller airports (a bit out of our route with limited
facilities etc) in order to get 100LL at less than $4/gal. It is no
doubt that higher fuel prices have an impact on GA flying.

Another major factor is weather. Except for last week, the weather
in the Northeast had been awful with low ceiling, rains, etc. The few
days in between with clear skies were extremely windy. This bad
weather dampened all outdoor activities and not just flying. Our
recreational rowing club just had our last row last Saturday in perfect
weather! Weeks (or months) before that, we hardly had any good rowing
opportunities. We entered two boats for the Head of the Fish race in
Saratoga Springs Saturday before last. The women's 8 had only 3
practice sessions together. The mixed 8s rowed together the first time
at the race. It was no surprise that we came in at respectable last
and next to last place ;-) Hey, at least we did not humiliate
ourselves by lagging way behind.

With the recent change in daylight saving time, it gets very dark by
around 6pm. There goes weekday flying for many people. Weekends are
needed for chores such as leave rakings and yard cleaning. In my
neighborhood, it takes the typical homeowner two to three weekends to
clean up the moutain of leaves. It's just so many thngs to do and so
little time on top of so many expenses to meet and so little money.
Pilots are just average folks and no fat cats as you have always stated
;-)

Hai Longworth

Anyone else noticing this?

Yes! I flew to a popular spot for breakfast this last weekend, where a
usual arrival puts me at number 2 in the pattern, or number 1 and
looking for traffic. Sitting through breakfast and taxiing out to go
home, I'd have to say I saw, maybe three planes land...

I was struck at the time, how quiet it seemed, especially on a
beautiful Saturday morning with very few clouds!

Todd

In a word...Yes!



"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:3focf.315149$084.6932@attbi_s22...
Mary and I have noticed a substantial (and depressing) drop off in personal flying of late. Often we are the only
plane in the pattern, nowadays.

Worse, we've notice far fewer people talking to ATC -- which indicates that this may not be a local phenomenon. On
Sunday, for example, we flew 90 minutes over to Rantoul, IL, and back, and heard maybe three other planes, the whole
way, outside of "working" aircraft. (And one of them was Jim Burns, who was with us!)

We *do* tend to fly at "off" times (Sunday afternoons; Wednesdays and Thursdays, mostly) -- but the change we're
noticing has been pretty dramatic since gas prices spiked. There just doesn't seem to be nearly as many people
flying.

Anyone else noticing this?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

Mary and I have noticed a substantial (and depressing) drop off in personal
flying of late. Often we are the only plane in the pattern, nowadays.

Worse, we've notice far fewer people talking to ATC -- which indicates that
this may not be a local phenomenon. On Sunday, for example, we flew 90
minutes over to Rantoul, IL, and back, and heard maybe three other planes,
the whole way, outside of "working" aircraft. (And one of them was Jim
Burns, who was with us!)

We *do* tend to fly at "off" times (Sunday afternoons; Wednesdays and
Thursdays, mostly) -- but the change we're noticing has been pretty dramatic
since gas prices spiked. There just doesn't seem to be nearly as many
people flying.

Anyone else noticing this?

Yes. We're noticed it particularly in our flying club. Five years ago,
the club had 20 members (about 10 were active, I believe) and two
airplanes. We now have one airplane, 10 members, but only four of us
who currently fly the airplane. And the four of us have flown the
airplane only 54 hours total.

Matt

Jay Honeck wrote:
Mary and I have noticed a substantial (and depressing) drop off in personal
flying of late. Often we are the only plane in the pattern, nowadays.

Worse, we've notice far fewer people talking to ATC -- which indicates that
this may not be a local phenomenon. On Sunday, for example, we flew 90
minutes over to Rantoul, IL, and back, and heard maybe three other planes,
the whole way, outside of "working" aircraft. (And one of them was Jim
Burns, who was with us!)

We *do* tend to fly at "off" times (Sunday afternoons; Wednesdays and
Thursdays, mostly) -- but the change we're noticing has been pretty dramatic
since gas prices spiked. There just doesn't seem to be nearly as many
people flying.

Anyone else noticing this?
I've noticed the same thing, but it seems to have reversed itself about
2 weeks ago.

Jay Honeck wrote:

Anyone else noticing this?

Around here, many people are taking advantage of a spell of relatively good
weather to prepare for winter.

George Patterson
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you quarrel with your neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord. And it makes you miss him.

More flying than ever around here (Fredericton NB, Canada)

One night (doing night circits for currency) there were 11 "movements"
in an 18 minute period.. (not including mine)

REALLY hadda pay atention... (!)

Dave


On Wed, 09 Nov 2005 15:05:35 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

Mary and I have noticed a substantial (and depressing) drop off in personal
flying of late. Often we are the only plane in the pattern, nowadays.

Worse, we've notice far fewer people talking to ATC -- which indicates that
this may not be a local phenomenon. On Sunday, for example, we flew 90
minutes over to Rantoul, IL, and back, and heard maybe three other planes,
the whole way, outside of "working" aircraft. (And one of them was Jim
Burns, who was with us!)

We *do* tend to fly at "off" times (Sunday afternoons; Wednesdays and
Thursdays, mostly) -- but the change we're noticing has been pretty dramatic
since gas prices spiked. There just doesn't seem to be nearly as many
people flying.

Anyone else noticing this?

On Wed, 9 Nov 2005 12:07:11 -0500, "W P Dixon"
wrote:

Rates went up a few bucks an hour for rental (fuel prices), but still a
great deal.And still a month long wait if you cancel a flight! Maybe where
the cost of flying is reasonable , people fly? Just a grass field with more
traffic than I see at most Municipal Airports.

The rate, astonishingly, has remained at $75 for the Cub through all
the gasoline antics, but I reckon the shoe will drop at the turn of
the year. (It was $50/hr when I started nine years ago.)

For the plane I fly, it's not easy to get time the way I fly, which is
to watch the wx and call up the day before or the morning of. But
there's a second, less desirable Cub on the airfield, and that is
almost always available.

For me the limiting factor is weather. I like it sunny and calm, and
that's a rarity in New England, especially in the autumn.



-- all the best, Dan Ford

email: usenet AT danford DOT net

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
the blog: www.danford.net
In Search of Lost Time: www.readingproust.com

I don't have any details, but someone did fly yesterday here in
Leesburg Airport. Two fatal, inst. and student crashed at end of
runway yesterday. My condolences to their friends and family...

Even with the gas increase the rate is $47.00 for the Champ and Cub where I
fly. Really is a hard to beat price. I'd be flying very cheaply if I could
ever get finished with the training part .
Sunny and calm could be a rarity in New England in fall and winter. I
don't mind the winds so much..in a reasonable amount that is. But I'd much
rather have the ceiling higher than what it was Saturday.
I'm just waiting for Jay to open the Sport Pilot Training program at his
Inn. Have a Cub and Champ suite, and a CFI to give a sport pilot course in
the Inn's own Cub/Champ.

Patrick
student SP
aircraft structural mech

"Cub Driver" usenet AT danford DOT net wrote in message
...
On Wed, 9 Nov 2005 12:07:11 -0500, "W P Dixon"
wrote:

Rates went up a few bucks an hour for rental (fuel prices), but still a
great deal.And still a month long wait if you cancel a flight! Maybe where
the cost of flying is reasonable , people fly? Just a grass field with
more
traffic than I see at most Municipal Airports.

The rate, astonishingly, has remained at $75 for the Cub through all
the gasoline antics, but I reckon the shoe will drop at the turn of
the year. (It was $50/hr when I started nine years ago.)

For the plane I fly, it's not easy to get time the way I fly, which is
to watch the wx and call up the day before or the morning of. But
there's a second, less desirable Cub on the airfield, and that is
almost always available.

For me the limiting factor is weather. I like it sunny and calm, and
that's a rarity in New England, especially in the autumn.



-- all the best, Dan Ford

email: usenet AT danford DOT net

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
the blog: www.danford.net
In Search of Lost Time: www.readingproust.com