A aviation & planes forum. AviationBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » AviationBanter forum » rec.aviation newsgroups » Piloting
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Looking back in time.



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old September 11th 10, 06:35 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
birdog[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 27
Default Looking back in time.

I've been reading down through the comments, and decided to day-dream a
little. I'm 84, lost my medical in 1980. So I'm behind the curve to a large
extent when it comes to the cost of flying.

In the mid- '50's, 6 of us started a flying club with a 1949 7AC Champ. Paid
$1200 for it, 700 hour engine and 2-year fabric. Flew it for $4/hour, wet.
Eventually added a 150HP Tripacer and a 110HP Citabria and membership went
up to 20. Two flight instructors in the membership, so a student could join
and get a private ticket for less than $400 total investment.

There were about 40 aircraft hangered at the grass strip.Up 'til the
mid-70's, any saturday or sunday there were planes constantly in the air -
coming and going, shooting landings, and occasionally an arial exibition
going on. Most of the club members stayed current in all three planes. A
whole lot of the flying was just for fun.

At the demise of an old pilot friend, after a long absense, I visited the
field in 2005 on a sunday afternoon. The old club was still in existance,
and still had the old Champ. No planes in the air, a 170 sitting by the gas
pump. Talked to several fellows shooting the bull in the shack. One middle
aged fellow who got his ticket thru the club, instructed by an old friend of
mine, lamented about the lack of activity, compared to when I left the club.
He said he thought it had a lot to do with the cost of flying - that folks
didn't just jump in a plane on a whim and loaf in the skies like we once
did. I didn't ask what membership currently cost (It was $1400 when I left,
with monthly dues of $12), but they were charging $15/hr for the old Champ
to cover expenses.

I don't know how this relates to the discussion the decrease of
activity, but we had blue-collar workers, book-keepers, folks from all walks
of life flying in the club. I'd venture that the ratio of wages vs. cost of
flying on a regular basis is a whole lot higher now than it was then. At any
rate, when you start throwing out numbers like $50K and $100K for an
airplane, and look at the maintenance costs and licensing fees, you're
taking flying our of the realm of the common family man.

By the way, I'm told that an old Champ, comparable to ours, recently sold
for $34,000.


  #2  
Old September 11th 10, 10:59 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
Mark
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 815
Default Looking back in time.

On Sep 11, 1:35*pm, "birdog" wrote:
I've been reading down through the comments, and decided to day-dream a
little. I'm 84, lost my medical in 1980. So I'm behind the curve to a large
extent when it comes to the cost of flying.

In the mid- '50's, 6 of us started a flying club with a 1949 7AC Champ. Paid
$1200 for it, 700 hour engine and 2-year fabric. Flew it for $4/hour, wet..
Eventually added a 150HP Tripacer and a 110HP Citabria and membership went
up to 20. Two flight instructors in the membership, so a student could join
and get a private ticket for less than $400 total investment.

*There were about 40 aircraft hangered at the grass strip.Up 'til the
mid-70's, any saturday or sunday there were planes constantly in the air -
coming and going, shooting landings, and occasionally an arial exibition
going on. Most of the club members stayed current in all three planes. A
whole lot of the flying was just for fun.

At the demise of an old pilot friend, after a long absense, I visited the
field in 2005 on a sunday afternoon. The old club was still in existance,
and still had the old Champ. No planes in the air, a 170 sitting by the gas
pump. Talked to several fellows shooting the bull in the shack. One middle
aged fellow who got his ticket thru the club, instructed by an old friend of
mine, lamented about the lack of activity, compared to when I left the club.
He said he thought it had a lot to do with the cost of flying - that folks
didn't just jump in a plane on a whim and loaf in the skies like we once
did. I didn't ask what membership currently cost (It was $1400 when I left,
with monthly dues of $12), but they were charging $15/hr for the old Champ
to cover expenses.

I don't know how this relates to the discussion the decrease of
activity, but we had blue-collar workers, book-keepers, folks from all walks
of life flying in the club. I'd venture that the ratio of wages vs. cost of
flying on a regular basis is a whole lot higher now than it was then. At any
rate, when you start throwing out numbers like $50K and $100K for an
airplane, and look at the maintenance costs and licensing fees, you're
taking flying our of the realm of the common family man.

By the way, I'm told that an old Champ, comparable to ours, recently sold
for $34,000.


Interesting post Birdog. Thanks.

--
Mark
  #3  
Old September 12th 10, 05:24 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
Bug Dout
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 109
Default Looking back in time.

Yep. To everything said. I don't think the cost of flying has increased
beyond inflation; rather, our salaries haven't kept up with
inflation. Globalization, floods of cheap labor both unskilled
(undocumented) and skilled (H1B visa programs). No party or politician
is looking out for the working middle class.
--
If you think you're free, there's no escape possible.
--Ram Dass
  #4  
Old September 15th 10, 07:14 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
Ted Sherman[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default Looking back in time.

On Sat, 11 Sep 2010 14:59:49 -0700 (PDT), Mark wrote:

Interesting post Birdog. Thanks. Email me for a rim job.

--
Mark


oooooooooK
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
OT 4 airport round robin - time lapsed / real time with ATC COMS -video A Lieberma[_2_] Owning 0 August 30th 09 12:26 AM
OT 4 airport round robin - time lapsed / real time with ATC COMS -video [email protected] Instrument Flight Rules 0 August 30th 09 12:26 AM
4 airport round robin - time lapsed / real time with ATC COMS - video [email protected] Piloting 0 August 30th 09 12:25 AM
Blue Angels back in Pensacola - practice session - Diamond heading back to the hangar Pensacola Beachcomber Aviation Photos 0 March 23rd 08 05:28 PM
they took me back in time and the nsa or japan wired my head and now they know the idea came from me so if your back in time and wounder what happen they change tim liverance history for good. I work at rts wright industries and it a time travel trap tim liverance Military Aviation 0 August 18th 03 12:18 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:23 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AviationBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.