GA in decline since 1968 .. or .. 1979.

"Mutts" wrote in message
...


Here is an inflation calculator, no idea how accurate it is..........

http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

Not very accurate: it pertains mostly to consumer items in a very wide
scope.

A better "barometer" is the Federal Reserve money supply. Neither, though,
account for areas in which technology plays a big part in LOWERING costs.

For example: in 1954, my parents bought a brand new 21" B&W TV. It cost $375
at the time. It was the equivalent of the biggest TV's today. A typical TV
in those days was 13" at best.

My daughter, who just went out on her own, bought a 34" widescreen LCD (or
something thin, flat panel) and paid $329.

As mentioned below, contrast was a dual Nav-Com set went for 25 years ago
(Collins Microline, for example: $5000 if IRC), compared to what Garmin
offers.

On Tue, 19 Jun 2007 06:30:01 -0700, "Matt Barrow"
wrote:


"Dylan Smith" wrote in message
...
On 2007-06-19, Mutts wrote:


Article about this very thing........

Up, Up and ... Never Mind
http://www.flyingaggies.org/flightli...585&mode=print

I now its popular to blame cost for the decline. Yes, it is a factor I
know.

If you correct the costs from the 1960s to today's with inflation,
you'll find the cost in real terms hasn't changed.

Do you have some stats to support that?

(Off the top of my head from a sporatic memory)

For example, when I learned to fly, in the late 70's, a 172 went $18-20 an
hour. Today, it's $120 an hour.

Inflation has certainly not been a factor of six in that intervening time.

A 1993 Beech F33A went $130-140k - now an A36 goes around a $Million$.

What has dropped is avionics and probably overall maint labor costs.
These,
though, are not enough to offset the acquision and operating costs.

"Mutts" wrote in message
...

I now its popular to blame cost for the decline. Yes, it is a factor I
know.

Perhaps it is the growth of our overly risk aversioned culture too.

Or the fascination with aviation most of us have had since kids is
failing to connect with younger folks today.

It's the cost and the bureaucracy. My wife and I are college graduate
thirtysomethings making above the national income average and the cost of an
airplane, maintenance, storage, insurance are simply prohibitive.

Bottom line: Can't afford it. Or maybe I can, but with the cost of homes
blowing through the roof we can't afford both, and I discovered that I had
as much fun with my wife and friends out on the Columbia River on my $4,000
boat for $25 in fuel than I had flying, and I don't have to worry about some
bureaucracy crawling up my ass about whether the friends contributed to
fuel, what the "intent" of the boating trip was, etc.

Less GA airports is not a big help either!

Wasn't a factor for me at all. Each time I've hung up the jacket and quit
flying for a couple of years at a time, it was directly related to the cost.

-c