My plane costs 25-35k a year and gives me back at least that much economic value and way more than that in convenience and fun value. I'm a pilot, I need an airplane... all the fixed expenses are sunk costs to be taken as a given since I must own an airplane. I don't really care what anyone else thinks it's worth.

What I do know is to get any increase in utility and performance the only thing that would be an upgrade in my mind would be a 421... another piston twin. From there maybe a KingAir or a SETP. All of the alternatives are a significant increase in cost and for my mission, a marginal increase in utility. So I'll do like Jerry says and fly the value out of it, smiling all the way. I'd buy a T-Bone just for the fun and romance of it but my wife says two planes and a crazy simulator are enough.

I was thinking about this a bit on a long trip this week - I traveled from Dallas to Amelia Island, FL, to Boston (by way of Orcacoke!), to upstate NY, and back to Dallas. About 22 hours of flying time.

The technology and sophistication we have today for GA travel flying is amazing. The Bonanza I was flying has a Garmin 430, a Collins HSI, and an STEC autopilot. Pretty standard stuff in most travel airplanes today, and I complimented it with an iPad running ForeFlight and a Stratus.

Certainly not a $100k glass panel.

I had great weather information and filing a flight plan was as simple as a few clicks on an iPad.

I came to a very simple conclusion: It's never been easier to travel by light aircraft than it is today. The physics haven't changed of course, but the ease of filing in "the system" and getting weather information is incredible.

Odd dichotomy that it's relatively simple to fly IFR and travel in a GA airplane today, but pilot numbers are dropping...

By the way, this was all performed in a rented Bonanza and the entire trip cost less than $4k. Obviously, that doesn't count the years and hours of flying it's taken me to get comfortable flying long distance trips like this, but I think the direct cost of $4k for that trip is pretty reasonable.

Note that it would have cost me a lot more in the 421, but she's down for maintenance at the moment.

Robert

I don't know if its the future or not but.

The majority of people I talk to about my flying are way more interested in how I can outrun the airlines from my house to the east coast and at not much difference in cost (if I just figure the cost of fuel). Than about flying for the fun of it going nowhere.

I'm right there with ya Adam

That's me and that's my experience too.

I couldn't care less about watching some guy in a Pitts do loopy loo's and crazy 8's. I wanna go somewhere.

Adam, that's a great point you make. We need to change the perception of GA (which I believe is best done through product placement). If we don't promote GA, then we're the ones who will be responsible for killing it. And I say this as one who is not doing enough to promote GA myself (although I'm working on it)!

That's me and that's my experience too.

I couldn't care less about watching some guy in a Pitts do loopy loo's and crazy 8's. I wanna go somewhere.

34 year old 421 owner here. The criticism of youth in general is just silly. I'm sure old timers were saying the same thing 40 years ago and I'm sure they'll be saying the same 40 years from now.

There is no lack of interest in aviation from my peers. The issue is 100% cost. When I tell non-pilots I fly airplanes the interest apparent. Many are flight simmers who dream of one day being able to afford to fly.

I have a good friend who has more flight sim hours than I have flight hours and flies with me every chance he gets. He graduated from a top college and has a good job, probably is 70th percentile for income for our age. He is underwater on his mortgage from a condo he bought in 2007, and is still paying off student loans. Flying won't be in the cards for a long time.

I don't understand fully a lot of the economic factors at play, but from what I read older, richer people have done a lot better than younger poorer people in the last 15 years (http://www.census.gov/people/wealth/fil ... 202011.pdf). It isn't surprising then that a very expensive hobby would suffer during those changes. I'm certain if my age group experienced a large growth in net worth we'd see the rate of new private certificates increase.

Also given the population bump of the boomers, it isn't surprising to see the number of active pilots decrease as that group loses their medical or passes away.

Nice analysis, Spencer!

I personally think GA can be turned around for the reasons you state. But we mustn't let aviation drop out of the public perception either. I'm not currently aware of any t.v. show, movie, or game that features general aviation in an incidental way, let alone a meaningful one. The closest thing is perhaps the soapy Nashville series, where characters call out "get the jet" when they need to rush to the next plot point. I'd like to see that become "load the Bo" ...

That's me and that's my experience too.

I couldn't care less about watching some guy in a Pitts do loopy loo's and crazy 8's. I wanna go somewhere.

Turn on a rap video.

Check out Instagram and FB.

Everyone wants their own airplane. It sells itself. It's good to want things. Makes you work harder.

Cost is for sure a factor, but let's face it, the technical aspect of owning and maintaining an airplane is beyond what most people are comfortable with. Most people I talk to think it would be really cool to own and operate their own plane if they could afford it. Their eyes quickly glaze over after hearing just a few things on the list of what's involved.

They want push/start/Go/arrive. And maybe one day we will have that level of automation and the cost will be reasonable enough for other than 1%'s to afford, but until then, the guys like me (41) who enjoy going out to the airport to work on our planes and fly our families to cool places or just fly to fly and are technically savvy enough to keep them in flying at a reasonable cost, are a dying breed.

GA means different things to different people and its not dead but its changing and the sun is setting on the way it was.

Plenty of operations out there to solve that problem. Straight renting, flying clubs, or GA fractional programs like PlaneSmart.

PlaneSmart is a brilliant operation - Not cheap, but it's sure a lot easier to 'own' through them than it is to maintain an airplane. They take care of maintenance, db updates, insurance, etc, etc, etc.

Robert

I'm glad it's for a select group. I'm glad you've gotta want it bad to have it. The airport would be way too crowded otherwise.

A lot of you are looking a gift horse in the mouth. You made the cut. Enjoy it!

Turn on a rap video.

Check out Instagram and FB.

Everyone wants their own airplane. It sells itself. It's good to want things. Makes you work harder.