I'm 63 today~the future of Gen Aviation

[ussyorktown]

If you are offended by what I write, stop reading now and use your browser button and go somewhere else. No Whining zone.

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I am 63 today and [b]I wonder what the future of general aviation is going to be[/b]. I see a lot of CFI's sitting around looking at the sky. I see a few old farts like me retiring from a busy life wanting to do something new. I wonder if the kids of today would just rather play video games.
If the neighbors of private airports get their way they would take advantage of this lessoning interest in GA and demand the closing of airports and the pressure would be on the airport owner to sell out to a farmer, developer or just walk away.
(at 63 am I OLD, or merely "advanced middle aged" as the BBC called Prince Charles.

[FrankR]

Happy birthday, Yorktown.

[Jim Stewart]

A good question. I don't know the answer. I know that hanger space is expensive and hard to find where I live. That tells me there's lots of planes on the ground. OTOH, pick any beautiful Saturday and drive by a marina. I'm always amazed that not more than 5% of the boats are out sailing. But maybe they have the same issues as us...

Light sport is nice because it doesn't cost us $500 to fuel up our airplanes, and once the planes are paid for, the expenses are pretty much reasonable. I really enjoy flying, but it is just a hobby and there's lots of other things I still need to do before I check out of this world (I'm 60, not so far behind you).

Of the things I've gotten out of flying, I'd say the greatest is all the pilot friends I've made. Some truly great men and women.

[CBKERR]

Happy birthday yorktown. Your as old o as young as you feel, so you tell us.

[FastEddieB]

Welcome to the club.

I turned 63 last August.

But...

...remember when this seemed so far off...

"When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now
Will you still be sending me a valentine, birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I'd been out 'til quarter to three, would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm sixty-four?

You'll be older too..."

[spooky981]

I got involved in flying at age 27 with no elements in my life predisposing me to take up the hobby.

What got me to take a discovery flight was seeing the Icon A5 shown on a gadget website I frequent.
What got me to continue taking lessons was an instructor who embraced technology.

[drseti]

Happy birthday, youngster. Most of my Sport Pilot students are of our generation, having put off flying earlier in life because other responsibilities intervened. I see in the LSA movement a definite future for GA, but its hair is gray.

[drseti]

Welcome to the club

You too, Eddie. I'm a mere 42 (in base 16...)

[langj]

I am 31 and just got my Light Sport License. While there were rather aged individuals also seeking the same goal, I was very surprised by the amount of young people who were also looking to achieve their flying dreams. The price of LSA is an achievable goal for many. I do still feel its still too expensive and needs to be done cheaper. We defiantly need to get youth into flying but how many parents of teenagers do you know want to dump 6 to 8 thousands into their child's hobby. I understand CFI's need to make an income to survive but if they don't look at how to attract younger customers eventually their income will dry up. Also I see a lot of CFI's that are older and lack the skills to interact with youth in the digital age. I have personally flown with 4 different CFI's and would only go up with two of them ever again. Too, many people in this industry have this superior feeling where they are gods gift to the skies. This will not attract others into this field. Aviation needs to find a way to be more involved with the community and youth if they wish to survive.

[drseti]

I fully agree that aviation needs to attract a younger generation to survive. I also agree that costs are prohibitive for most young people. Bear in mind that, with few exceptions, CFIs neither set a flight school's fees nor collect very much of them. There are much larger problems to be addressed in the training industry, over which the average CFI has little control.

A good fit between teaching and learning styles is essential for effective training. A generational difference need not preclude that, but as in all areas of cross-cultural interaction, efforts on the part of both particants are required.

[ussyorktown]

I got an email from Mr. Collins. He is having some sort of seminar on "old pilots-the future of gen aviation." I don't know how it is back east but here in Oregon you can fly some days and never see any other plane in the air.

[N918KT]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U41hwkD ... ure=relmfu

Recently, I made a video blog about the importance of getting teens interested and involved in aviation. I also gave a special thank you to a friend of mine for starting an aviation club at my high school in that video as well. Check it out!

[Jim Stewart]

I got an email from Mr. Collins. He is having some sort of seminar on "old pilots-the future of gen aviation." I don't know how it is back east but here in Oregon you can fly some days and never see any other plane in the air.

That's because they are all above the two thousand foot ceiling that never goes away