UK prices equate to around $9 a gallon for 100 LL,
propotional to population we have a larger soaring
community than the US.

At 16:30 26 March 2005, F.L. Whiteley wrote:

'Bill Daniels' wrote in message
...

'Scott' wrote in message
...
Because he's a troll. Yes, complaining about the
airport would be good.
They would just shut down another general aviation
airport. Remember,
if the airport goes away, so does another landing
spot for gliders. I
fly both powered and gliders. I'll bet the airport
was there when
numbnuts bought his house (and he probably doesn't
even live near an
airport) and he didn't have brain one to be able
to think that maybe
someday, someone would actually fly a powered plane
out of that airport.

Scott Littfin


That logic may win a battle but it will eventually
lose the war to keep
small airports open. Once Chicago closed Miegs Field
and got away with
it,
the precedent is set for other airport closure battles.

The only long term solution is that airplanes have
to get much quieter -
fortunately, there are engineering ways to do that.
Retrofitting older
aircraft is possible but big gains have to be designed
in.

Meanwhile, as our European friends have pointed out,
winches rarely annoy
airport neighbors. Modern winches can now provide
as much release height
as
99% of air tows.

The reality is that fuel costs will drive us to winches
which will have
many
former general aviation airfields to operate from
since the Cezzna drivers
won't be able to afford fuel prices.

Bill Daniels

A recent survey apparently indicates the $3/gal is
the break point for large
SUV owners.

Adjusted for 1980 dollars, oil would be $90/barrel
for gas prices to match
those historic levels.

$5/gal 100LL certainly won't inspire growth in the
number of soaring pilots,
but the $25/2000ft tow becomes the $32.50/2000ft tow,
not quite a show
stopper in the near term. Still, it makes the $5-$10/winch
launch a
potential winner.

Frank Whiteley