Yesterday I opened my e-mail and found my Aviation eBrief from AOPA.\u00a0 The news was fairly disturbing.<\/p>\n
From Air Transport World,<\/em> is the news that, \u201cDOT Secretary LaHood reaffirms Obama\u2019s NextGen commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n The next headline read, \u201cColumn: Middle-class pilots are squeezed out of GA.\u201d\u00a0 This from General Aviation News<\/em>.<\/p>\n The third headline of note from FlightGlobal.com, \u201cCessna to increase investment in business jets.\u201d<\/p>\n It would be one thing to see these three headlines independently, but seeing them together almost seems as if it is a death knell for the little airplane pilot.<\/p>\n When I saw the first headline about NextGen, the little kid side of me who loves technology got all excited.\u00a0 The sane side of me, the adult side, immediately began asking those really important and nagging questions such as, \u201cWho is going to pay for this?\u201d and, \u201cHow much is this going to cost me?\u201d<\/p>\n There is also the feeling of airspace being closed off from \u201cus\u201d little airplane drivers.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have that new, expensive, and complicated piece of equipment, there are some places you cannot go.<\/p>\n Drew Steketee\u2019s column for February 2, 2011 makes the point that general aviation once used to be for everyone.\u00a0 He illustrated the idea that many involved in general aviation and the 1960s and 70s were solidly middle class.\u00a0 As he puts it now, \u201cToday much of GA looks like a Rich Man\u2019s Game, as it did in the 1930s.\u201d<\/p>\n Finally, from FlightGlobal.com, is the story that Cessna aircraft is \u201cramping up its business jets\u201d to compete against Embraer\u2019s jets.\u00a0 I liked Cessna a lot better when they were focused on building single-engine Cessna\u2019s such as the 120, 140, 150, 170, 172, 175, 180, 182, 185, 190, 195, and last but not least, the 210.<\/p>\n Most of us could afford the lower end of that spectrum; later in life when the salaries increased, a few might even be able to afford one of those heavier singles.<\/p>\n We are all feeling the squeeze, some more than others.\u00a0 There is one thing for certain\u2014aviation is not getting cheaper.\u00a0 Somehow, we are going to have to find a way to \u201cwatch our backs\u201d to try to contain costs.<\/p>\n Some of the older pilots who use to fly are now leaving.\u00a0 They say they just cannot afford it anymore.<\/p>\n Somehow, I think too many have bought into the idea flying is supposed to be expensive.\u00a0 We have to remember it is not about going fast, burning a lot of gas, and paying through the nose.<\/p>\n -30-<\/p>\n \u00a9 2011 J. Clark<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Yesterday I opened my e-mail and found my Aviation eBrief from AOPA.\u00a0 The news was fairly disturbing. From Air Transport World, is the news that, \u201cDOT Secretary LaHood reaffirms Obama\u2019s NextGen commitment.\u201d The next headline read, \u201cColumn: Middle-class pilots are … Continue reading