Hope for the future

In article ,
says...


This is the first I've heard of this increase in pilot training, and I
hope it's the start of a trend. Anyone got a source for student stats?



I don't know about the stats.
I would share your hope for a trend, but I cannot be optimistic. Why?
Many people start flying, and stick to it through the costs and hardships
because of the rewards it is supposed to offer at the end. These rewards have
been substantially eroded over the years though, particularly in recent
(post-911) years.

1) The airline pilot's career will likely never have the shine it once had.
Salaries are down (WAY down, in some cases) job security as well, and the
"glamor" of intercontinental flying is tarnished.

2)Utility for the individual or small business flyer is diminished. In the
50's and early '60's it was easy to find personal aircraft with TAS
comparable to what were then considered to be airliners (DC-3's). This
combined with the proximity of local airports led to a prodigious utility
gain for those who could afford it. Today, unless you are talking bizzjets
and multi-million investments, it is difficult to find many missions where
the private aircraft offers a measurable advantage. (Yes these exist, but
they are now the exception rather than the rule).

3) Saftey concerns have increased. This is a good thing, because safety
conciousness is the driving force behind the improvement we have seen in
accident statistics. At the same time, this increases the hassle and
preparation time, and further decreases perceived utility.

4) Environmental conciousness - another good thing, that probably does not
help the overall image of private aviation.

5) Rules and regulations - not that these have increased that much over the
years in GA, but the amount of rule conciousness and responsibility we have
to digest in our daily lives has. Just driving your car to work today is an
exercise in liability protection - adding to this a "leisure" activity that
brings a whole new level of rules and regulations may not be a picture of
release and serenity to young people, already stressed half to death about
the responsibility they take on every time they climb out of bed in the
morning.

I do agree with those who say the new crop of aircraft, and the modernization
of the instrument panel represent big gains in attractiveness for potential
starters today, but I would be cautious about beliving in much of an upswing
in PPL starts.

GF

1) The airline pilot's career will likely never have the shine it once had.
Salaries are down (WAY down, in some cases) job security as well, and the
"glamor" of intercontinental flying is tarnished.

Yeah, I wonder what's going to happen when you project this trend out
20 years. With so few military pilots in the pipeline, and now fewer
privately trained pilots interested in pursuing flying as a career, the
stars seem aligned to create a huge pilot shortage in the year 2027 or
so... This should drive salaries back up, of course.

The glamor of international travel is all but gone. Mary and I have
talked extensively about flying to Europe, but each time we consider
the agony of flying across the Atlantic with the kids in a cattle car
we decide to fly our own plane somewhere. Between the discomfort of
commercial flying, and the famously less-than-welcoming attitude of
many Europeans, it's just easier to spend our tourist dollar in the
Western hemisphere. God knows there are plenty of places we haven't
yet seen on our side of the pond that are reachable in Atlas.

2)Utility for the individual or small business flyer is diminished. In the
50's and early '60's it was easy to find personal aircraft with TAS
comparable to what were then considered to be airliners (DC-3's). This
combined with the proximity of local airports led to a prodigious utility
gain for those who could afford it.

So true. I know that people in the 1950s were aware of what the
then-new interstate highway system was going to do to rail travel --
but I don't think anyone much considered what they would to to
aviation. Back when it took 8 hours to drive to Chicago from here,
flying your company's Twin Beech made a lot of sense. Now, it's a 4.5
hour drive, which most businessmen will do in a day, especially when it
saves hundreds of dollars to do so.

And, of course, everyone knows what happened to commuter air service.
With the advent of freeways, (and, more importantly, the loss of
airmail contracts) commuter air lines went the way of the dinosaur.
Let's hope the VLJs can bring it back!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On 19 Nov 2006 06:02:18 -0800, "Jay Honeck" wrote
in .com:

The glamor of international travel is all but gone. Mary and I have
talked extensively about flying to Europe, but each time we consider
the agony of flying across the Atlantic with the kids in a cattle car
we decide to fly our own plane somewhere. Between the discomfort of
commercial flying, and the famously less-than-welcoming attitude of
many Europeans, it's just easier to spend our tourist dollar in the
Western hemisphere. God knows there are plenty of places we haven't
yet seen on our side of the pond that are reachable in Atlas.

While I share much of your criticism of airline travel, I have found
the lasting benefits of international travel significantly exceed the
relatively short periods of discomfort.

Jay,

The glamor of international travel is all but gone.

Oh, please! What glamor? Flying economy class hasn't changed a bit in
the last 30 years except for one thing: It has become enormously
cheaper.

Mary and I have
talked extensively about flying to Europe, but each time we consider
the agony of flying across the Atlantic with the kids in a cattle car
we decide to fly our own plane somewhere.

Just like back in the 50s: If you want glamor, you'll have to pay for
it. In First Class, international travel is plenty glamorous. And the
price of the ticket is comparable to any airline ticket in the 50s.

Between the discomfort of
commercial flying, and the famously less-than-welcoming attitude of
many Europeans,

And where exactly did you get that idea? What media in the US, for
example, would even report on the European attitude, no matter if it is
positive or negative? Fox "News"?

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

In article ,
says...


Jay,

The glamor of international travel is all but gone.

Oh, please! What glamor? Flying economy class hasn't changed a bit in
the last 30 years except for one thing: It has become enormously
cheaper.

I was referring to "glamor" mostly as regards pilots. I'll bet in 1975,
most Americans and Europeans would list "Airline Pilot" within the top ten
of their list of "glamor professions". I'll bet fewer than one in ten
would today - just a guess though.

Concerning passengers - when I was in High School, in the '70's, I was
one of the few (10%) who had actually flown on a plane! Today I doubt you
will find many 15 year-old Americans or Europeans who have not. There is
certainly something less "exclusive" about it.

Between the discomfort of
commercial flying, and the famously less-than-welcoming attitude of
many Europeans,

And where exactly did you get that idea?

The truth is a good starting point!
With so many people choosing France as a desired destination, it is a
shame that CDG airport is completely out-classed by the modern, welcoming
airports in China, Indonesia, Singapore and Dubai. Arriving in France is a
very "nerves of steel" experience.

GF



--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Greg,

With so many people choosing France as a desired destination, it is a
shame that CDG airport is completely out-classed by the modern, welcoming
airports in China, Indonesia, Singapore and Dubai.


Now we're deducing the welcoming attitude of people from architecture? Have
you been to JFK?

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

In article ,
says...


Greg,

With so many people choosing France as a desired destination, it is a
shame that CDG airport is completely out-classed by the modern, welcoming
airports in China, Indonesia, Singapore and Dubai.


Now we're deducing the welcoming attitude of people from architecture?

Actually, I think the architecture is one of the things they are doing right
at Paris' CDG airport. I am a fan of Paul Andreu, and I think the control
tower at CDG2 and the newest terminals (2F and E) are very beautiful,
notwithstanding their errr structural difficulties! ;-)

I was referring to the entire experience - like a theme park ride "Roissy
Charles de Gaulle - The Experience!!" You know, the fact that the planes
unload by bus, because the handling companies are on strike, the interminable
wait to get you baggage, because they are on strike as well, the smashed,
ransacked and missing baggage after all that waiting, then the ticket
dispensing machines in the train station - that don't accept cash, and only
accept credit cards issued in France (very creative, for an international
arrivals hall). No problem though, you can take your chances with the long
lines at the ticket window - but pity on your soul if you don't have EXACT
change - the girl at the window will make you regret the day you were born.
The train ride through the car-burning capital of the world is - well,
interesting, but the arrival at the North train station will see you separated
from your wallet, unless you are David Blaine or Copperfield and able to
out-wit the army of pickpockets. Ready for a Parisian taxi? No, NO, NO - don't
get me started!!!






Have
you been to JFK?

Haven't been there in almost a week.
Has it changed?

GF

Between the discomfort of
commercial flying, and the famously less-than-welcoming attitude of
many Europeans,

And where exactly did you get that idea? What media in the US, for
example, would even report on the European attitude, no matter if it is
positive or negative? Fox "News"?

Oh, how about the time, while visiting the brother (German) of a friend in
Berlin, it was time to eat, so we stopped in at a (common to them) restaurant.
The brother and friend were a few minutes behind, so we went in, got a table,
and were given menus to look at. The friend and the brother arrived, sat down,
then I noticed her (the friend's) face getting red, then real red, then the
waiter came by. She asked (in German) "what were these? Where are the real
menus?" Then the waiter's face started getting red. He mumbled something in
German, then shuffled off. Our friend said, "We are leaving. Let's go. Now!"

We got outside, and asked what was wrong; why had we left. She was almost in
tears, and said that she was so mad and embarrassed, because this waiter had
seen a chance to stiff a bunch of Americans, and had given us the menus (that
they obviously had prepared for situations where tourists come in) that had all
of the prices about double from the normal prices.

Sounds unwelcoming to me.

I could go on with other examples, but I won't.
--
Jim in NC

On Sun, 19 Nov 2006 18:07:34 -0500, "Morgans"
wrote in :


Sounds unwelcoming to me.

Oh come on. The waiter was courteous and welcomed you, I'll bet. :-(

Morgans schrieb:

this waiter had seen a chance to stiff a bunch of Americans, and had
given us the menus (that they obviously had prepared for situations
where tourists come in) that had all of the prices about double from the
normal prices.

If this little intermezzo impresses you, then you haven't travelled very
far in the world on your own. The only thing that surprizes me in that
story is that it has happened in Germany.

Stefan