Avgas in France has reached $7.50/gal !

"Dylan Smith" wrote in message
...
In article , Martin Hotze wrote:
they apparently have other priorities. They have faster trains, for
example. How
does this compare with the US?

I think this is part of the point; if you made avgas tax free across
Europe, you still wouldn't get anywhere near US levels of GA. That's
because it'll still be much faster, more reliable and cheaper to travel
by train for business purposes and move small freight items by road
(since the distances are far smaller), and larger freight items by rail.

GA would still be largely personal, in-your-free-time types of
activities.

Sweden. Compare GA in Sweden where they don't tax avgas.
When I was living and flying there, with the exchange rates at
the time it was cheaper to hire a plane there than it was in the US.

Sweden also has large distances, but as far as I can tell, most GA
in Sweden also tends to be recreational.

Paul

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 13:55:25 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in hhO9e.5889$c24.2848@attbi_s72::

TRAINS?

High speed (180 mph) European trains are preferable to airline
transportation within Europe. No security lines nor baggage waiting,
and you can walk around and eat first class cuisine en route.

With the notable exception of the British Rail (or whatever company
you're travelling on now) buffet car.

Paul

"Dylan Smith" wrote in message
...
In article , G Farris wrote:
French pilots. If you exclude airline pilots, the percentage of IR rated
PPL's
in France is anecdotal.

And that is the thing that IS dunderheaded - is the JAA requirements for
an IR which makes it prohibitive for a typical private pilot. The UK has
a workaround (the IMC rating).

A lot of people who want to fly IFR to the rest of Europe from the
UK are putting their planes on the N register and obtaining an FAA
IR as it's so much easier and cheaper, and easier to keep current.

Fortunately, I read there are some voices of sanity in the European
authorities - EASA have said they want to reduce the regulatory burden
and want to see GA as 'vibrant as it is in the US'. It remains to be
seen whether that's just talk though. On the opposite end we have the
airlines convincing our CAA that they are subsidising GA - they do this
by only taking into accout cheques that GA people write to the CAA, and
totally ignore fuel taxes.

This is because the CAA has to be self sufficient and not subsidised
by the taxpayer. I'm guessing this isn't the case with the FAA. Avgas
taxes go straight into the general fund. This is what gets me when they
talk about charging for services or airspace/navaid use. If that ever
happens we'll all be paying twice. If we don't then the airlines will be
subsidising us. I think avgas taxes should be made available to NATS
(the now private ATC company) and to the CAA to stop the airlines
complaining. The UK though doesn't have the US mindset that the
taxes generated by something should be spent on that something.

They are talking about extending the UK IMC rating to cover Europe.
JAR originally talked about this with their IWR (Inclement Weather
Rating) but nothing came of it.

Paul

"Jens Krueger" wrote in message
...
Dylan Smith wrote:

Americans just don't like diesels. They're better than the junk that
came
out 20-25 years ago, but they still sell abysmally other than in the
bigger
pickup trucks.

I know that - but that doesn't mean that diesels AREN'T good now and
AREN'T up to the job because they most certianly are. A modern turbo
diesel car is as comfortable as a gasoline driven one, just as fast and
often has way better endurance and often has an engine which will last
much longer on less maintenance.

If BMW would actually introduce the 745d in the US, well that would be a
car for "out-west". Silent, fast, pulls like a freight train (700nm
torque!) and about 35 mpg highway... I wonder why they haven't done it
yet...

The diesels GM brought out were such pieces of junk it turned off a couple
of generations of drivers in the US. Until that legacy is lost to memory
diesels will be a tough sell.

"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...

"Newps" wrote in message
...


Matt Barrow wrote:
About 40MPG and 50MPG for the diesel.

Such a car would likely be "useful" out in the west where distances
are
measured in three or even four digits and those are MILES not klicks.

I don't think so. I'm not driving around anywhere in a car the size of
a beer can. When I hit you, or a deer, etc I want to know I'm walking
away.

Which is why I put "useful" in quotes. Their engines are not built, I'd
guess, for the speeds or distances involved out here.

You want speed? 150mph enough? 0-62 in 7.2 seconds?
http://www.carpages.co.uk/guide/bmw/...es-330d-se.asp

Paul

Paul Sengupta wrote:

"Dylan Smith" wrote in message
...

In Britain, the speed limit has never been that low. All dual
carriageways ('divided highways') have a default speed limit of 70mph.


Britain didn't have a speed limit until 1967 when the 70mph
national limit was brought in. The "unofficial" speed limit on British
motorways is 85mph. 90-100mph is common. Turbo-diesels are
ideal for these sort of motorway speeds. Good torque for overtaking
and pretty frugal in the process.

Anyone who comes here from the US or Canada complains that
we drive too fast.

Not true. I lived in England for 4 months and didn't mind at all
driving 100+ on the motorways! And I thought all of the roundabouts
were a hoot. The rock wall lined roads in Wales were interesting however...


Matt

"Dave Stadt" wrote in message
...

If BMW would actually introduce the 745d in the US, well that would be a
car for "out-west". Silent, fast, pulls like a freight train (700nm
torque!) and about 35 mpg highway... I wonder why they haven't done it
yet...

The diesels GM brought out were such pieces of junk it turned off a couple
of generations of drivers in the US. Until that legacy is lost to memory
diesels will be a tough sell.

If my take is right, the MB TurboDiesels that sold in the US have not been
happy experiences, either.

Denver, Colorado has some of the strictest particulate laws anywhere. If
you can see smoke, it is not going to pass.

Here in Canada if you can't see smoke it ain't running.

And don't even get me started on those bloody VW Jettas - I have to turn
my heater or AC off everytime I get behind one - or choke.

Tony




--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

Where do you live, Chris?

not in the US

I'd have never guessed...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In article , Paul Sengupta wrote:
With the notable exception of the British Rail (or whatever company
you're travelling on now) buffet car.

I think they deliberately made the food overpriced cheap stuff so people
would spend all their time moaning about the food instead of the trains
:-)

--
Dylan Smith, Castletown, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net
"Maintain thine airspeed, lest the ground come up and smite thee"