"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
newsY6Ue.318654$_o.19913@attbi_s71...

When it gets to $2.85/gallon, I'm gonna fill "The Mighty Grape" --

Hey, I need one of those. I wonder how far I would get past the gate onto
our field... :-)

The sinister thing about fuel prices is that it may not be affecting current
flyers much, but it might be driving out newcomers in droves. Last
September, I needed at least a week notice to book a 172 and two or more if
I wanted my Instructor, also. I would book my reservations forward about a
month ahead. Today, I can phone up in the morning and have a plane for
solo that day. Most week days, I can walk in *off the street*, and get a
plane right away. If I need a plane and an instructor, I rarely have to
wait more than a couple of days. Prices for a 172 have gone up $20CAD to
the equivalent of about $105-110 USD.


Now, I am not privy to the financial books of my operator, so maybe things
are quite rosy.

But from the outside looking in and given the discussions this group has had
about the utility of recreational GA flying.... potential flyers might be
either conserving their recreational dollars or putting them elsewhere. If
it gets back to the point of month-in-advance reservations, it may be
because there will be 7 planes instead of 22, and 9 instructors instead of
27.