I don't have my ticket yet -- and I'm really committed because I want to buy
my own plane to train and fly -- and I want to take advantage of the tax
write-off about to expire at year end.

I've been at this since August.
But, hell, they're not making it easy.

All I've asked of Cirrus, Piper and Tiger is if I can demo their damned
planes before I buy. But if you don't have your ticket they don't want to
know you. They take the position that I should secure the financing for the
particular plane before I demo. I take the position that I'm not going to
waste my time if I'm not in love with the plane. I tell them that I'm
relegated to buying a C172 because that's the only plane I know and they're
not making it easy for me to consider anything else. They take the position
that "...every customer who's bought their 'so-and-so-brand-plane' has never
regretted it and has never gone back to a C172. I say: kiss my a**: if I'm
going to effort to run around trying to convince a bank to finance my
purchase @ $200,000 or more (you know what that's like) then I want to know
what in hell I'm buying!! They're sort of saying: marry me and then you'll
find out if you love me.

So far, I haven't had one demo since I started the search in August.
I thought GA was hurting; I guess not.

I train in C172's, and I guess that's what Cirrus, Piper and Tiger want me
to buy because they don't seem interested in my business.