Why General Aviation is Failing

🛩️ How General Aviation Took a Dive - A Comprehensive Breakdown | Aviation History & Economics 📉

👨‍✈️✈️ Explore the roller-coaster journey of general aviation! From the affordable and booming post-WWII skies to the soaring costs and stringent regulations of today, we take you on a flight through time to understand "How General Aviation Failed." Buckle up as we dive into the fascinating history, dissect the financial turbulence, and reveal how the golden age of accessible flying slowly descended into a costly pursuit. 🏆📈

🛫🌟 What you'll learn in this video:

How post-WWII economics and a surplus of aircraft created a pilot's paradise
The transformation from the Civil Aeronautics Administration to the Federal Aviation Administration and its impact
The evolution of iconic aircraft and how innovation shaped the industry
The economic forces and regulations that grounded the once-thriving general aviation sector
🔍💡 Deep Dive Topics:

The saturation point of the aviation market and its consequences
The ripple effects of the oil crises and economic downturns on aviation
The complex calculus of inflation-adjusted costs of aircraft over the decades
The unintended consequences of safety regulations and certification hurdles
The stark comparison of aircraft prices then and now – the real cost of modern technology
🛠️💲 The Economics of Flight:

Exploring the rise in insurance costs and their impact on flying expenses
Understanding the lack of economies of scale in modern aircraft manufacturing
Analyzing the decrease in pilot certification and its correlation with aircraft demand
🏭📉 Manufacturing Woes:

The challenge of low production numbers and its price implications
Stricter airspace regulations and the requirement for modern equipment
👩‍🏫🎓 Whether you're an aviation enthusiast, an economics student, a history buff, or just curious about how and why flying isn't as pocket-friendly as it used to be, this video has something for everyone! 🌍

📊📘 We bring numbers to life and make sense of the dollars and cents behind the propellers. Join us on this intriguing flight of discovery – unravel the complexities of general aviation's economic landscape and grasp the full picture of its decline.

💼🚁 For aspiring pilots, aviation professionals, and business analysts, this is a must-watch analysis that charts the turbulence in general aviation's economic skies.

✈️ Don't miss the engaging discussion and insightful conclusions! Hit the like button, subscribe for more thought-provoking content, and fly through history with us. Remember to ring the bell for notifications so you won’t miss any of our future flights into the world of aviation! 🛎️🌐

#GeneralAviation #AviationHistory #EconomicAnalysis #PilotLife #AircraftEconomics #FlightTraining #AviationRegulations #FlyingCosts #Cessna172 #AircraftManufacturing #AviationIndustry #FlightSchool #PrivatePilot #AviationEnthusiast

✍️📝 Scripted with the passion of a pilot and the precision of an economist, this video is your boarding pass to the heights and declines of general aviation. Share your thoughts in the comments below! Have you felt the pinch of rising aviation costs in your flying career or hobby? Let’s discuss! 🗨️💬

🕰️🛩️ Ready to take off? Click play and let the journey begin!
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[WestAirAviation]

Every-time I tell someone I'm a pilot, without fail they say "I always wanted to be a pilot, but then..." and the then is always different, but more often than not the excuse is the price.

The 1, 500 rule only exacerbated an already reprehensible system. I went to ERAU in '07. One of my dorm mates was a foreign national from Korea. She graduated, went home, and was flying 777's while I was still in Cessna's.

[TheJoesenOne]

I have 100s of friends with an interest in aviation. From my personal experience, the interest has never declined. In fact, every few months, I find dozens of new people in their 20s wanting to learn how to fly. The price and barrier to entry increased. No one can afford to pursue their interest in it if costs don't come down. Wage growth has stagnated since the 80s, but the cost of ownership and operations continues to rise.

[thomasp.shortm.d.]

I had a 172 and sold it last year for much more money than I paid for it 15 years before. The yearly costs of flying it were $13, 000 a year. Everything had gone uo. Gas, taxes, hangar, annual etc.Was just doing short cross country trips. Miss it but retirement and a lower income is creeping in. A new 172 is now $450, 00 !.

[brockjennings]

Earning my private pilots license in the 1980s literally saved my life. I was a teenager lacking direction and somewhat of an outcast. My father made a deal with me that he would pay for half the cost of me getting my certificate. Ground school taught me to focus and learn concepts that I could directly apply in the cockpit. Passing my check ride boosted my confidence and self-worth, which paid dividends later in life.

[davidgiles]

Like so many have mentioned in the comments, the costs became untenable. I went from ownership, to renting, to just can't afford it. Love to fly, but eating is more important.

[jimcaufman]

I learned to fly years ago for free in the military. After I got out and transitioned to civilian flying. I retired off the Boeing 777 over 20 years ago. Over the years since I have stopped by many airports just to look around. Problem is I can't get in most small airports because of locked doors and barbed wire fences. A few months ago, I stopped by my local airport to rent an airplane with an instructor to fly for a hour or so. Was told I could not do it without clearance from Homeland Security. Just for a little history I flew the first originating passenger flight in the United States after 9-11. Newark to Telavi. If you want more people to fly do away with all the BS, teardown the barbes wire fences and unlock the doors.

[sploop_boop]

I used to work at a semi reasonably priced flight school and the amount of kids I had to turn down was heartbreaking. The cost has just gotten too high unless you come from super rich family, and then you’d probably fly as a hobby not as a career. There’s no way we’re gonna stop the pilot shortage with this environment.

[stevenwomack]

I managed to get my pilot's license back in the 80s. Since then, I've barely accumulated 150 hours, largely because of the cost. I love flying; it's the most fun I've ever had with my clothes on :-) But it's heartbreaking that the costs have kept me from being the pilot I've always wanted to be.

[jgbaugh]

Things are ridiculous. I just purchased a CHT probe. In 2014 it cost $72 (and was over priced). Today it cost $227. Inflation doesn’t account for it. Someone is gouging someone. This is a common scenario when trying to maintain aircraft.

[jordanharvey]

Heartbreaking. All I’ve ever wanted to do is fly since I was young. Watching the goalposts move farther and farther away each time I approach them rips my heart out

[gregoryschmidt]

My grandfather had a Cub with floats in rural Northern Wisconsin in the 50's. I think he took about 2 lessons from a buddy of his, and then he was off and flying! I'm not sure if he ever actually got certified. I know he took 3 of his buddies up to Canada on a float-fishing trip. They just followed highways until they found a lake that looked good. It's probably a miracle that he never killed himself or anyone else, but man, the freedom...

[cp]

I stopped flying because I simply couldn’t justify, much less afford, the cost. Kind of heartbreaking.

[windhover]

I was a highly motivated private pilot by the time I graduated high school. Some of the best fun I've had. But I had to stop flying shortly thereafter because I never made enough money to keep going. I ended up with somewhere around 70 hrs. My passion to fly is just as strong as it was back then but I simply can't afford it.

[tangobear]

In a nation where buying a house is so difficult. owning a plane is completely off the table. Most people go broke on three things: house, car, healthcare. There is a dwindling number of people who can afford anything beyond those 3 things.

[SeaHusker]

Originally went to college to become a professional pilot but dropped out after a year. The cost of going to school and pilot training was astronomical. 7 years later I finally went back and got my PPL, but costs were still through the roof. I haven’t flown since and that was 3.5 years ago :/

[Fitch]

I don't even know where to start, but you pretty well covered it all in this video. What's interesting is the seeming massive disconnect between the Manufacturers and their intended customer base. Look at the DA-40 you mentioned, it's a 4 seat twin, and it STARTS at well north of $1million. If you have that kind of money to spend on a plane you're sure as hell NOT going to be buying a 4 seat reciprocating twin. There also the overall GA communities refusal to recognize or even acknowledge their number 1 problem. They want to wring their hands and have seminars and conventions and conferences where they talk about how to grow the GA community, but if you bring up cost, they throw you out of the proverbial board room window. Further, what token nod they do make towards costs, in the form of scholarships, are all aimed at a single demographic..a 16-19 year old kid, a kid who has ZERO interest in GA flying, his only goal is to go fly the big jets. Yet they continue to award the scholarships on the hope that maybe someday, when that kid retires from the airlines in 40 years, he'll have saved enough up to buy a 4 place single and come to their Fly-Ins. In my own personal view, right now the GA communities biggest hurdle, is itself.

[boatlover]

It’s been my experience over the last 40 years that (along with everything else!) general aviation has become very expensive, and bogged down with regulation.

[shamandgg]

I used to be a private pilot, it was great adventure. Stopped at around 200fh as I couldn’t afford it anymore.

[AllenPortman]

I am 65 and wanted to start back flying since completing 60 hours back in the late 80s, but even being retired with majority of my major bills paid off still can only fly a few hours or so a month. Simply cannot afford racking up a bunch of flying time which is very frustrating!

[MarioLoco]

I am a student pilot who is funding my own lessons. It is expensive as hell. $145/hr for plane rental, $65/hr for instructor time, $6+ per gallon of 100LL...Im about 1/3 of the way done, its too late to turn back and quit because i have several thousands of dollars already put into this. I wish this was cheaper and more attainable. Im doing it just for GA, not trying to work as a pilot.