"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:WFyTf.39506$oL.27969@attbi_s71...
snip
I find it appalling that the average age of pilots is now 47 -- my age!
Man, if that's not an indication of the relative health (or, rather, the
lack thereof) of General Aviation, I'm not sure what is. We need to get
a few hundred thousand 20-something-year-olds in the fold to ensure that
GA (as we know it) is around in another 20 years.
--
Jay Honeck

You're absolutely right about getting the younger crowd to participate in
Aviation. If you think flying is expensive now, wait until all those "old
farts" retire and FBO's, airframe manufacturers, etc. have to spread their
costs out over even fewer units. A $15,000 engine rebuild will seem like a
real bargain then.

Unfortunately, the FBO's I see are being used as corporate pilot training
centers, where the CFI's are all 25 and are motivated to build hours so they
can get a job with a commuter airline. In addtion to the lack of continuity
with the instructors (most don't last 6 months before they move to something
bigger and better), the FBO's seem to have a very short term horizon.
Instead of working to minimize the cost of getting a pilot's license so they
will have more customers over the long term, our local FBO's charge steep
prices for PPSEL training and C-152 rentals. In the end, the 22 year old
who is interested in flying makes a visit to the FBO, "does the math", and
realizes that a PPSEL is out of financial reach. S/he never comes back.

It seems that the GA "industry" would realize that the key to the industry's
long term health is creating enough pilots so the industry is sustainable
over the long term.

Your local GA field is going to be a far different place in 20 years unless
something changes.

KB