Avgas in France has reached $7.50/gal !

[Paul Sengupta]

"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

[Paul Sengupta]

"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

[Paul Sengupta]

"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

[Dave Stadt]

"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.

[Paul Sengupta]

"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/bmw-3-series-330d-se.asp

Paul

[Matt Whiting]

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

[Matt Barrow]

"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.

[tony roberts]

> 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

[Jay Honeck]

>> 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"

[Dylan Smith]

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"

[Dylan Smith]

In article >, Matt Barrow wrote:
>> Hardly, it's quite possible to make a mid or fullsize diesel car very
>> economical on fuel.
>
> And as I said, Americans hate diesels. Also, see the other point about
> diesel pollution.

....which is NOT being caused by modern clean turbodiesels, but
older-designed truck engines which let out a thick black pall of smoke
if you even breathe on the gas pedal.

--
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"

[Dylan Smith]

In article >, Newps wrote:
> A Volkswagen and a Puegot? Goddamn things come with mechanics? Ain't
> no place to get them fixed around here.

I know Peugeot is rare in the US, but VW is hardly a rare brand of car.
My friends in Salt Lake don't have an issue with it - but then again,
their Jetta hasn't needed to be fixed (and it now has 120,000 miles on
the clock). All it's needed is normal routine maintenance.

--
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"

[Dylan Smith]

In article >, Matt Whiting wrote:
> 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...

Try Manx roads. Part of the TT circuit (the TT is a motorcycle road
race, a 37.75 mile long circuit, raced on public roads) is rock lined.
My Dad races a sidecar outfit in that race (he's already got his race
number for this year's event).

They go hurtling through towns at 140mph+. It's awesome.

--
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"

[Jens Krueger]

Matt Barrow > wrote:

> > 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.

That was when, 20 years ago? Diesel technologie has evolved, you know?
;-)

--
I don't accept any emails right now. Usenet replys only.

[Dave Stadt]

"Jens Krueger" > wrote in message
...
> Matt Barrow > wrote:
>
> > > 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.
>
> That was when, 20 years ago? Diesel technologie has evolved, you know?
> ;-)

But people haven't.

[Jay Honeck]

>> What's the attraction? I take it that's mainly the Atlanta area?
>
> Last I heard, yes -- mainly Atlanta.

Actually, I've been pleasantly surprised every time I've been to Georgia.
Nice people and nice weather (well, except in July/August).
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Matt Barrow]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:do6ce.30958$NU4.6729@attbi_s22...
> >> What's the attraction? I take it that's mainly the Atlanta area?
> >
> > Last I heard, yes -- mainly Atlanta.
>
> Actually, I've been pleasantly surprised every time I've been to Georgia.
> Nice people and nice weather (well, except in July/August).
> --

They were very nice! They gave directions like you lived there (all the
landmarks were rather obscure to an outsider) and you were one of their own.


--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO

[George Patterson]

Jay Honeck wrote:
>
> Nice people and nice weather (well, except in July/August).

Yep. There've been many timnes I've wished I never left Atlanta.

George Patterson
There's plenty of room for all of God's creatures. Right next to the
mashed potatoes.

[CriticalMass]

Jay Honeck wrote:
>>That's for sure. If any of us have luck on our side, it's surely those of
>>us who were fortunate enough to be born in the "Western world."
>
>
> Oh, crap -- there I go again, being "racist"...


Don't worry about it, Jay (and, I can see you aren't).

You've got your head on straight. Biases? Yeah, you got 'em.
Opinions, yeah, those too. Prejudices? Sure.

The socialistas and the hate-America-first crowd here have 'em too,
despite the fact they won't admit it. The difference is, their
arguments don't hold up under scrutiny.

[CriticalMass]

Dylan Smith wrote:

> Oh, and France is a beautiful country too, and the Anglo-American
> stereotype of the French is also in most cases couldn't be more wrong.
> Just because French society has different values to the US doesn't make
> them "dunderheaded" either.

Agree. Their politics certainly does, however.

[CriticalMass]

Bob Fry wrote:


> Would that we were taxing ourselves, but we're not. And we're not
> borrowing from our children, but from the rest of the world. One day,
> not so far away, the rest of world will get tired of it. I think
> within 10-15 years the world's goods will be priced in something other
> than the US dollar (probably the Euro) and then our consumption will
> come to an abrupt halt.

Hey, Bob - Earth to Bob - Hello??? Anyone home? Anyone ever tell Bob
here that the USA **FEEDS** the rest of the world?

Nevermind. Hate America first, right, Bob?

>
> Dunderheaded is when you consume way more than you produce, when you
> borrow not to invest in production but in consumption, when you launch
> wars half way around the world on the basis of lies or gross
> incompetence, when your only national energy policy is drilling more
> holes and nothing else.
>
> Dunderheaded is also when you think you know everything by having a
> few foreign guests stop by.

If it's that bad here, Bob, leave. Find a nice little socialist-run
country with US foreign aid keeping them alive. That'd be pretty good,
right, Bob?