Jay Honeck wrote:

At the other end of the scale is general aviation. Aviation is a
horrendously complex form of transportation--the most complex around,


I find this quite funny. You have fallen for it, hook, line and
sinker.

The "complexity" of GA is a myth that has been foisted upon the general
public by the "big-watch" pilots who simply LOVE to flaunt how cool
they are under pressure. John Wayne movies in the '50s and '60s cast
the mold for this pilot stereotype (which was effectively skewered in
the "Airplane" movies, BTW), and pilots have done little to counter
this stereotype ever since.

It's also, BTW, one of the major reasons GA is floundering. Too many
people think they're not "good enough" to be a pilot.

Yes, I think that is a very unhelpful myth.


An illustration: On our last flight, we flew from Iowa City, IA to
Racine, WI, for Christmas. (This would be like frying from France to
Germany, to put that into perspective for you.)

This involved:

1. Pre-flighting the plane (a walk around, with oil and fuel checks)
2. Loading the plane
3. Starting the plane
4. Programming two GPS's
5. Taking off, and turning to course.
6. Climbing to altitude
7. Following the course (as if we need it -- I've done this flight a
hundred times) to Racine.
8. Land.

Compare this to the complexity of DRIVING to Racine, and you'll see
that flying there is by FAR easier. No traffic. No toll booths. No
maniac cab drivers. No complicated routing around Chicago. It was
literally as easy as falling off a log.

I'll give you this: The TRAINING to become a pilot is difficult -- and
commercial piloting is, of course, a WHOLE different kettle of fish.
They must fly in all weather, into difficult airports -- whereas I get
to choose the times, places and weather in which I fly.

But we're talking GA flying, not commercial. Once you've become a GA
pilot and put a few hours under your belt, cross-country GA flying is
far easier than driving, IMHO.

Living at the airport is a huge advantage in this regard. The biggest
problem I have is that I live 40 minutes from the airport. So, I spend
1:20 minutes of driving for every flight I make. Unless I'm flying at
least 120 miles away, I can't beat driving time-wise. I also live in a
rural area with no toll booths, etc., and traffic that would be
considered light by urban standards other than for summer holiday
weekends. By the time I add in preflight time, taxi time, tie-down at
the destination, etc., flying only makes sense for me time-wise if the
drive is 3 hours or more. And cost simply can't be compared so I don't
compare it! :-)

My hope is to retire to a home near an airport, but for now that isn't a
possibility given where I work and where my kids attend school.


Matt