Maybe one of the things the FAA needs to take a look at is the cost they add
into "making" a new airplane. If the idea was to make sport pilot a more
affordable way to fly, and the certification process keeps it out of reach
...then it isn't doing anything. The common man still will have a hard time
affording it.
I will never agree to how much some of these planes cost. I think it has
more to do with greed. I'm not saying the red tape of it all does not add
up,...but I don't know exactly the cost of all the red tape. I do know the
costs of materials and the cost of labor. Union shops definitely have costs
problems ( this seems to hold true in auto and aviation). Unions have a hard
time understanding that when their product cost so much people do not buy it
then they do not have a job.
A company usually gets alot better deal buying materials than just you
or I would, because a company is buying in bulk. So I see reasons things
would cost alittle more, and I see things that make it cost less. As for the
FAA red tape..what really is the cost? What does that money go for?
I see alot more planes selling for 20,000 than for 100,000 in the sport
category. All that can afford to buy the high priced (and over priced) LS
planes will be retired docs and lawyers who can't get a medical anymore. How
much of a percent is that of pilots? How much of a percent is it of the
general population that may would be interested in sport pilot? Very small I
would think, and I don't see how they will make money on such slow and
sporadic sales.
Seems to me there are alot of factors , but we most definitely can't
rule out the biggest one....GREED.

Patrick
student SP
aircraft structural mech

"john smith" wrote in message
...
About 20 years ago, Frank Christiansen proposed to build and sell the
Husky for $50,000. The final product came out of the factory at $65,000
(I am working from memory on this price, it may be low).
Why the big price jump?
Frank though that he could certify the aircraft quickly for x-something
dollars because of its similarity to the Super Cub. The FAA, however,
took a totally different approach, and made him certify the Husky as as
a new aircraft design.
This added significantly to the certification costs which were then
added to the original projected costs to come up with the final selling
price.
One of the aviation rags (FLYING?) had an interview with Frank which has
the whole story.