Gloom

Kevin Clarke wrote:

me, none. If you remember from a bygone thread, my wife won't fly w/
me. I fly a few times a year to BHB from KFIT and a few time around
Southern New England. 5o-75 hrs /year.

KC

Which is why, over 20 years ago in my pre-marriage days, any fourth or fifth
date I went on included a flight with me. This had two effects. First, it
impressed the hell out of 18-22 year old girls and more importantly it
disqualified those that were either too scared to go or didn't like when
they did.

This is one of the reasons I've been married to the same lady for going on
22 years. She also thought the t-shirt I picked up that said, "My Ex Wanted
Me To Quit Flying" was funny.

I do not get this argument. I would like to understand it. But why is
the little podunk airport important?

snip

Just curious: How many long cross-country flights have you made with
your family?

me, none. If you remember from a bygone thread, my wife won't fly w/ me.

I believe this is why you see so little utility in small-town
airports. Until you've been on a bunch of long cross-country flights
with your family, and flown into small-town America from coast to
coast, it's really hard to appreciate their essential nature.

Most of our trips utilize these smaller, less used airports, and it is
always a delight to visit them. This is where "real" America still
exists, and their existence allows us, as pilots, to drop in almost
anywhere across this vast continent.

All of this is, of course, aside from all the vital financial aid your
airport brings to your community. Everything from "Flight for Life"
helicopters, to charters, to little guys like us think of your airport
as your "Front Door" -- and, quite frankly, we don't go to towns that
don't have airports.

Of course, if the pilot community continues to dwindle, there won't be
enough of us flying to bring $$$ into those small towns, and those
airports will simply close. And THEN flying in America will really
have lost it's merit.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Kevin Clarke wrote:
AJ wrote:
We must make the general public know that the little airport in town
is necessary to them (not to us -- we know how important it is), and
how becoming a pilot can be within their reach. If we define
ourselves as necessary, and not just an old folks' vanity group, we
will have allies to help fight to lower or eliminate user fees, bring
the overall cost of general aviation down, and swell our ranks with
people who still have their prostate.



I love to fly. I love the fact that I have achieved something that
was a lifelong dream of mine. I started at 40 yrs old. Now I'm 43.
I'm as passionate about this as anybody however...

I do not get this argument. I would like to understand it. But why is
the little podunk airport important? 3B3 Sterling, Mass, offers very
little to the local economy, if anything. KFIT, my home base, offers
very little to the local economy, a couple of shops, a restaurant, a
few commercial flights (Part 135) per week. Are they that big a deal?
KORH is vastly underutilized, it is 30 minutes away by car. So
seriously, I do not understand the argument about saving every
airport.
KC

An airport, even a small one, provides a surprising amount economic impact
to a community. I found this report about a very small airport in Washington
state. They estimate that this airport with only 6 aircraft based there
contributes more than $1mil to the economy.

The report is short and shouldn't take long for you to read.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres...0/OR_Forks.pdf

I do not get this argument. I would like to understand it. But why is the little podunk airport important? 3B3 Sterling, Mass, offers very little to the local economy, if anything.

3B3 makes all the other airports more valuable, just as they make 3B3
valuable. (imagine how useless 3B3 would be if there were no other
airports)

Jose
--
You can choose whom to befriend, but you cannot choose whom to love.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jose" wrote in message
et...

3B3 makes all the other airports more valuable, just as they make 3B3
valuable. (imagine how useless 3B3 would be if there were no other
airports)

Lots of gliders at 3B3. Most don't land anywhere else.

Lots of gliders at 3B3. Most don't land anywhere else.

No matter, its existance makes the other airports valuable anyway. Not
many people drive on some roads, but the other roads still connect to them.

And if 3B3 didn't exist, those gliders would be elsewhere, or would not
fly. That's something too.'

Jose
--
You can choose whom to befriend, but you cannot choose whom to love.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:04:15 GMT, Kevin Clarke
wrote:

AJ wrote:
We must make the general public know that the little airport in town
is necessary to them (not to us -- we know how important it is), and
how becoming a pilot can be within their reach. If we define
ourselves as necessary, and not just an old folks' vanity group, we
will have allies to help fight to lower or eliminate user fees, bring
the overall cost of general aviation down, and swell our ranks with
people who still have their prostate.



I love to fly. I love the fact that I have achieved something that was a
lifelong dream of mine. I started at 40 yrs old. Now I'm 43. I'm as
passionate about this as anybody however...

I do not get this argument. I would like to understand it. But why is
the little podunk airport important? 3B3 Sterling, Mass, offers very
little to the local economy, if anything. KFIT, my home base, offers
very little to the local economy, a couple of shops, a restaurant, a few
commercial flights (Part 135) per week. Are they that big a deal? KORH
is vastly underutilized, it is 30 minutes away by car. So seriously, I
do not understand the argument about saving every airport.

The direct impact of the aviation economy (mechanic jobs, pilot shops,
restaurants on field) is important, but not nearly as important as the
role aviation plays in the national transportation infrastructure.

We (as taxpayers) fund the development of Interstates, highways, and
rural roads. Any individual road is not that important, but connected
together - they allow efficient transport of goods and services
throughout our country.

Airports need to be viewed in the same manner. Any single airport
does not matter that much, but when viewed in aggregate, the entire
system is invaluable to our ability to quickly deliver goods/services
throughout the country.

-Nathan

The Little French Girl stopped by this weekend.
She will be moving bases from Boston to Chicago as of July 1 and is
hoping to make it to the Big Show at the end of July.
During the course of our discussions, she related the pressing need for
regional airline pilots and the desperation measures some companies are
taking.

Take a look at http://airlinepilotcentral.com for the requirements the
different companies have.

Then look at the pay rates for the various companies.
And we wonder why young people don't want to be pilots?

$18/hour x 80 hours/month = $1440/month

$1440/month x 12 months/year = $17,200/year (before taxes)

Unless you are living with your parents, you're not going to make it on
your own.

Next look at the incrimental pay increases as one gains seniority each
year. Not many big step-ups, are there?

("john smith" wrote)
The Little French Girl stopped by this weekend.
She will be moving bases from Boston to Chicago


She's getting closer...!


Paul-Mont
"Oui" "Oui"

Nathan Young wrote:
On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:04:15 GMT, Kevin Clarke
wrote:


AJ wrote:

...

Airports need to be viewed in the same manner. Any single airport
does not matter that much, but when viewed in aggregate, the entire
system is invaluable to our ability to quickly deliver goods/services
throughout the country.

-Nathan

Thanks, I'll buy this argument that makes sense. It is a variation on
the network effect.

KC