Are People Still Flying As Much Around You?

("Jay Honeck" wrote)
Today's predicted winds of 40+ knots ought to keep the weekend pilots on
the ground...!


Another 'all-nighter' of window rattling wind last night in the Twin Cities.

(ANE) Anoka County-Blaine, MN
Sunday morning:

...........TEMP......WIND....(Gusts 50% higher)
6am.......37........W/23
7am....................W/26
8am.......37........W/23
9am.......39........WNW/24
10am.....39........WNW/31
11am.....41........WNW/34
12pm.....45........WNW/30


Montblack

Jay Honeck wrote:
Mary and I have noticed a substantial (and depressing) drop off in personal
flying of late. Often we are the only plane in the pattern, nowadays.

Worse, we've notice far fewer people talking to ATC -- which indicates that
this may not be a local phenomenon. On Sunday, for example, we flew 90
minutes over to Rantoul, IL, and back, and heard maybe three other planes,
the whole way, outside of "working" aircraft. (And one of them was Jim
Burns, who was with us!)

We *do* tend to fly at "off" times (Sunday afternoons; Wednesdays and
Thursdays, mostly) -- but the change we're noticing has been pretty dramatic
since gas prices spiked. There just doesn't seem to be nearly as many
people flying.

Anyone else noticing this?
I've noticed the same thing, but it seems to have reversed itself about
2 weeks ago.

Jay Honeck wrote:

Anyone else noticing this?

Around here, many people are taking advantage of a spell of relatively good
weather to prepare for winter.

George Patterson
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you quarrel with your neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord. And it makes you miss him.

More flying than ever around here (Fredericton NB, Canada)

One night (doing night circits for currency) there were 11 "movements"
in an 18 minute period.. (not including mine)

REALLY hadda pay atention... (!)

Dave


On Wed, 09 Nov 2005 15:05:35 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

Mary and I have noticed a substantial (and depressing) drop off in personal
flying of late. Often we are the only plane in the pattern, nowadays.

Worse, we've notice far fewer people talking to ATC -- which indicates that
this may not be a local phenomenon. On Sunday, for example, we flew 90
minutes over to Rantoul, IL, and back, and heard maybe three other planes,
the whole way, outside of "working" aircraft. (And one of them was Jim
Burns, who was with us!)

We *do* tend to fly at "off" times (Sunday afternoons; Wednesdays and
Thursdays, mostly) -- but the change we're noticing has been pretty dramatic
since gas prices spiked. There just doesn't seem to be nearly as many
people flying.

Anyone else noticing this?

I don't have any details, but someone did fly yesterday here in
Leesburg Airport. Two fatal, inst. and student crashed at end of
runway yesterday. My condolences to their friends and family...

Jay Honeck wrote:
Mary and I have noticed a substantial (and depressing) drop off in personal
flying of late. Often we are the only plane in the pattern, nowadays.

...

Anyone else noticing this?

Not in the flying club I'm in... our 180hp 172 was booked solid this
week. When I checked on Tuesday morning, the first available time was
Sunday at 18:00. I've booked the plane to fly down to Atlanta during
Thanksgiving week, so the club will be getting a 15+ hour "gift" from
me for turkey day.

Maybe y'all should move to the Northeast?

--
Guy

Jay Honeck wrote:
Mary and I have noticed a substantial (and depressing) drop off in personal
flying of late. Often we are the only plane in the pattern, nowadays.

Worse, we've notice far fewer people talking to ATC -- which indicates that
this may not be a local phenomenon. On Sunday, for example, we flew 90
minutes over to Rantoul, IL, and back, and heard maybe three other planes,
the whole way, outside of "working" aircraft. (And one of them was Jim
Burns, who was with us!)

We *do* tend to fly at "off" times (Sunday afternoons; Wednesdays and
Thursdays, mostly) -- but the change we're noticing has been pretty dramatic
since gas prices spiked. There just doesn't seem to be nearly as many
people flying.

Anyone else noticing this?
In the western part of Virginia we have enjoyed an unusually high number
of VFR days, but people are not flying. The last weekend in October I
flew to Hummel Field W75 on the other end of the state and it seemed
fairly busy, but potomac approach was quiet. It was 2 of the best flying
days I've had this year.

Robet Coffey wrote:

it seemed fairly busy, but potomac approach was quiet.

I know PCT frequencies are usually jumping on a good flying day, but it can
be hard to gauge traffic levels by frequency congestion. I remember not
long ago talking to PCT when all the voice traffic simply died rather
suddenly. It was a nice day and I was surprised at the sudden silence.
After several minutes of thinking it was surely just a temporary condition,
I queried the controller about it (almost thinking there was a problem with
my equipment), but he responded that there was a line of storms to the West
(that I couldn't see through the haze) that was probably holding everybody
back. Sure enough, a couple miles later he switched me to a different
sector where I heard "normal" traffic levels again.

As for Jay's question, my flying schedule hasn't changed and the traffic
levels over my house seem to be about "normal". Maybe it's just a seasonal
flux or even a temporary lull in Iowa...

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_s...veloperid=4415
Reduce spam. Use Sender Policy Framework: http://spf.pobox.com
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As for Jay's question, my flying schedule hasn't changed and the traffic
levels over my house seem to be about "normal". Maybe it's just a
seasonal flux or even a temporary lull in Iowa...

I hope so. We continue to fly as often as always -- but I just had dinner
night before last with three other pilots.

NONE of them are current. All are my age or younger.

:-(
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

I hope so. We continue to fly as often as always -- but I just had
dinner night before last with three other pilots.

NONE of them are current. All are my age or younger.

How far out of currency are they? The point I'm driving at is there are
many reasons for letting currency lapse (and not just related to fuel price
increases).

For example, I have a friend who got his private and barely maintained
currency due to life/family schedules. Then he got laid off and quit flying
altogether - even after finding another job. Basically, his priorities
changed.

I have another friend of the family who was an instrument rated private, but
ended up letting it all lapse in lieu of ultralights. Again, realignment of
priorities.

Maybe your local pilot population suffered a "reduction in force" due to
airline hiring (hey, it could happen) or maybe they're spending their money
on school (you are in a college town after all).

Hopefully, it's a temporary condition in any case.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_s...veloperid=4415
Reduce spam. Use Sender Policy Framework: http://spf.pobox.com
____________________