The demise of GA aviation in Australia

[frank marriott]

Nev

 

WAS might well be the case nation wide but in my immediate local area the growth is current. Mind you most are retired or semi-retired.

 

 

[AVOCET]

You obviously haven't been to Moorooka (Brisbane) lately.But anyway, they will just take up skateboards, dirtbikes, Playstations etc etc and all the other alternate toys now available since the 70's.

 

I had zero exposure to planes in my schooling late 60's thru 70's btw, was all about cars and dirtbikes for our area (Mornington Peninsula) and seeing as how many great riders and drivers came out of the area it must have had an effect.

Small world Bex , brings back memories , morooduc quarry , mt Eliza boy ,

Frankston teenager , bikes , surf , panel vans ,pubs

 

Mike .

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Small world Bex , brings back memories , morooduc quarry , mt Eliza boy ,Frankston teenager , bikes , surf , panel vans ,pubs

Mike .

Bloody hell, there's some memories! Frankston Grand or The Vines, railway tracks every weekend on our bikes, Pines Sharpies, Saltmarsh bike hire, Olivers Hill .... could go on all day!

 

I started my Apprenticeship at Rod Linden Yamaha.

 

 

[facthunter]

Regardless of what the reason is the younger, participants need to be there to have an industry. None of my kids want to fly. A couple of them were exposed to marginal weather in a command M/E IF rating check I did and were very ill as a result of the extreme turbulence. So they were not impressed. One of them has also seen the extent of corrosion in the wing of a Piper Cherokee that had flown in to be repaired, and when I show him vids of beautiful old Gloster Gladiators etc he wonders whether they will fall apart.. They also just missed out on flying on a fatal light aircraft, because they were not available, and are aware of at least three of my friends who have died in lighties, so I think they are lost to the cause.. Circumstantial, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.. I have been in the mindset myself of whether I would want to be around IF anymore people I know well, die in planes. I personally don't mind that side of it, as I believe you make a lot of your own luck, but I've lost quite a few good mates, that may have been preventable in other circumstances. Nev

 

 

[oracle1]

[bexrbetter]

The course that I'm in at the moment

What course is that please?

 

 

[ben87r]

It's a full time CPL/ATPL.

 

 

[rdarby]

Use it or loose it. Think about how much of your income gets spent on flying. Mine is more than it should be when I think about it, but that is how much I want it. My next flight is booked, and I am going to book a weekend away to support a local fly in soon too. Yes it's expensive but if you want it, ignore the gubbermint and pump your money into aviation. That is a start. Yes the big picture needs to be sorted out, but right now we as individuals need to fly more to make it happen for ourselves and others. And take a kid flying. That is what I am doing next weekend.

 

 

[facthunter]

A lot of things cost a great deal of money (Not just flying). Eating out, Dressing for the GYM. Depreciation on new cars. Golf club fees, new Caravan and Toyota Land Cruiser to tow it and the fuel is guzzles,. Yachts, trailer and vehicle to launch it, speed boats, jet ski's, Snow Skiing and equipment. Car racing, drinking GOOD wine, holidays (here or overseas) Chucking money in the Pokies, Beer unless you brew it, Wife , Wife on shopping spree, Wife being divorced (from You) wife having plastic surgery to look good for someone. Having a mistress. Having many mistresses, Children going through university. See what you can do without on this list, add up what it would cost, and convince yourself that flying is affordable for you, since you won't be doing XYZ. Simple as XYZ..Nev

 

 

[M61A1]

A lot of people these days would rather spend a fortune simulating events in their lounge room than doing it for real.

 

 

[facthunter]

That may be the case. They could be so out of touch with reality they escape totally to that environment for their experiences. Whether this would be something good for civilisation I doubt. At least It would keep them off the streets. ( repairing a car does that too,) but at the end you have actually done something and achieved something.

 

Relating to people still seems when done fairly well to be the most satisfying thing. Be a shame if we have a generation who have no ability to do that. How good would they be at passing on life skills. Nev

 

 

[rgmwa]

A lot of things cost a great deal of money (Not just flying). Eating out, Dressing for the GYM. Depreciation on new cars. Golf club fees, new Caravan and Toyota Land Cruiser to tow it and the fuel is guzzles,. Yachts, trailer and vehicle to launch it, speed boats, jet ski's, Snow Skiing and equipment. Car racing, drinking GOOD wine, holidays (here or overseas) Chucking money in the Pokies, Beer unless you brew it, Wife , Wife on shopping spree, Wife being divorced (from You) wife having plastic surgery to look good for someone. Having a mistress. Having many mistresses, Children going through university. See what you can do without on this list, add up what it would cost, and convince yourself that flying is affordable for you, since you won't be doing XYZ. Simple as XYZ..Nev

Sigh... can't afford any of those Nev.

 

rgmwa

 

 

[facthunter]

Then you may have to sell your body, rgmwa. You get to keep the wreck. Nev

 

 

[rgmwa]

Then you may have to sell your body, rgmwa. You get to keep the wreck. Nev

Tried that already, Nev. No good. They told me it wasn't worth anything ...

 

rgmwa

 

 

[facthunter]

Marry a rich old dear. Nev

 

 

[rgmwa]

Marry a rich old dear. Nev

Does two out of three count?

 

rgmwa

 

 

[facthunter]

NO. Nev

 

 

[Guest Escadrille]

John McCormick (ex RAAF) and CASA must be very pleased with this graph!

 

 

[rgmwa]

Bugger ...

 

rgmwa

 

 

[Captain Kramer]

I hate to say it but I think it has a lot to do with "Housing" Australians especially young people have it drummed into them that they have to get there own house before its too late (Quote from parents) and therefore are saddled with a huge debt that consumes nearly all there discretionary spending. With the cost of living going up and the prices you pay to put a roof over your head are beyond the reach these days, its no wonder they can't afford to go flying let alone buy a plane. Its the biggest social issue in Australia at the moment, not same sex marriage like the media sprooks. I can afford to fly because I don't have a mortgage. The baby boomers worked hard there whole life and are now enjoying the fruits of the debt saddled younger generation. A sorry state of affairs. Until we address the multiply issues of affordable shelters not investments, we will continue to see the decline in GA. Flying will once again be for the rich and privileged. I know I have probably offended a few people on this forum, but not being honest in this day and age will be our undoing in the future. I am 35 years old and would love to have my own house, a place to call home but I know in this current climate of over priced houses that I have a choice, buy a house and never be able to afford to go flying or go flying. Life is too short to be a debt slave to the banks. We all work hard for retirement but for some of us we wont ever make it, I can speak from experience.

 

GA will continue to decline when we have cheaper alternatives out there, and when the cheaper forms get expensive then people move onto different outlets for the recreational kicks.

 

Happy to be put in my place if I have offended anyone one but the above comments are my honest opinions why younger people are not going out to your local airfield and going for a fly.

 

Shane McMillan

 

 

[facthunter]

If you analyse it, the big costs are in Houses, cars And bringing up kids. Nev

 

 

[Guest Escadrille]

So very true Nev. Andy

 

 

[turboplanner]

I also have shed a tear over the poor condition of Moorabbin buildings, and the loss of the once bustling Civil and Schutt operations, but I wonder if we are just blind to the changes which progressively take place over time, and get behind in our perceptions.

 

I just pulled the figures for Moorabbin Airport Movements for the past fifty one years (figures/graph attached)

 

GA is alive and well and the trend is still upward at Moorabbin.

 

The GA traffic in and out of Moorabbin also indicates that some other GA airfields are getting healthy traffic, so the picture might not be as bleak as it sounds.

 

EXX26.pdf

 

EXX26.pdf

 

EXX26.pdf

[Russ]

i recently approached local aero club ( cairns ) .......need my PPL. They tell me they are flat out training newbies, so "GA" is alive and well apparantly.

 

 

[ben87r]

That's good to hear Russ. I'm from Cairns and will be looking for work up that way in a couple of months!! Currently in sa. Who did you speak to there? I herd a roumer that Sally isn't there anymore?