GA Flying Down 20%

MX has no idea what he is
talking about (so what else is new?). I have no idea what you base your
view on, either.

Facts?

If a government knowingly increases the cost of an activity, through
excessive taxation, that's called "social engineering". It's
precisely what we are fighting in the US right now with all the
proposed new taxes on flying..

Look at the cost of avgas in France, and see what percentage of the
overall cost is tax, and what percentage actually goes to pay for the
fuel. If the tax costs more than the commodity itself, it's safe to
say that the French government doesn't want its people to buy the
commodity.

Our government does the same thing with cigarettes, and other things
it regards as undesireable. Why Europe regards GA as undesireable is
the *real* question, IMHO.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Jun 5, 2:25 pm, Jay Honeck wrote:
MX has no idea what he is
talking about (so what else is new?). I have no idea what you base your
view on, either.

Facts?

If a government knowingly increases the cost of an activity, through
excessive taxation, that's called "social engineering". It's
precisely what we are fighting in the US right now with all the
proposed new taxes on flying..

Look at the cost of avgas in France, and see what percentage of the
overall cost is tax, and what percentage actually goes to pay for the
fuel. If the tax costs more than the commodity itself, it's safe to
say that the French government doesn't want its people to buy the
commodity.


And that is not something exclusive for the French government, it is
common practice in much of Europe.
BTW, the French support their GA rather well.
Their landing fees are low if any, somebody has to pay for the
airfield and its infrastructure. I wonder were all that money comes
from. Not from the users, that is for sure.

Our government does the same thing with cigarettes, and other things
it regards as undesireable. Why Europe regards GA as undesireable is
the *real* question, IMHO.

They do not, they regard it as not very necessary.
But it looks like opinions are changing in favour of GA with the EU
expanding to the East.

-Kees

Jay Honeck writes:

Why Europe regards GA as undesireable is
the *real* question, IMHO.

Europeans don't like anything that is out of the ordinary. They believe that
exceptional things should be reserved to a privileged class. They build their
social and legal structures to enforce this. They also deny it vehemently at
every opportunity, so much so that one wonders exactly whom they are trying to
convince.

Jay,

If the tax costs more than the commodity itself, it's safe to
say that the French government doesn't want its people to buy the
commodity.


Uhm, that's not how taxes work, mostly.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)