BeechBaby wrote:
Fancy a swap to the UK?
Hell no! One thing EuroGA has changed for me- I have zero desire to fly in UK.. much too scary..
ivark wrote:
In Estonia the flightschools are as busy as ever
It’s the same in Norway. The reason being mostly the availability of instructors (FIs primarily) are at an all time high due to Corona. However, almost none of these new PPL/LAPL/UL people fly later on. They simply disappear, most of them straight after they get their license. The only ones flying are the same old “hard core” bunch, the exact same people since 20 years ago, minus the ones who have stopped due to age/medical. Something has definitely changed. Not sure exactly what, probably a whole series of small details? but something for sure is deflating the perceived value of flying GA. A hobby, an activity for recreation, is solely dependent on the perceived value. You put time and money into it in exchange for valuable experiences.
We are trying this year to have a series of fly-ins with a general focus on competition navigation. Maybe this will get more people flying. More social events + something to train for, something to stretch after. Competitions are always fun, and gives us goals.
You do have to work continuously to maintain the value you get out of flying.
Nobody else will do the work for you; you have to do it. A lot of people (old timers with years of experience) that I have seen give up recently, gave up because they didn’t put in the “work”. They probably thought GA would be “automatically fun”, but very few things are automatic in life. So in the end there was little return. And sure many pack up due to medical issues.
EuroGA was set up partly to help with all that stuff.
The current economic pressures just mean you have to work a bit harder to get value.
I don’t think people quite “get it” though. It has been extraordinarily hard to organise fly-ins lately. The telegram groups fill up with large numbers of people – enough to fill up the apron almost anywhere, if even half actually turned up – but then they go silent, and on the day almost nobody turns up. Never seen that before. Probably a mixture of things… but these people will soon be the victims of whatever it is. Nobody will do the work for them.
Same with everything else in life actually. You won’t have friends unless you go and make some, and then look after them. Well, certain categories of people attract lots of “friends” effortlessly 
Well, against all reason I’m still pouring a lot of money into new avionics. Probably the worst “investment” ever (except for a new engine :-) ). But hey, I always dreamed about doing this and I don’t intent to take my money into my grave…
The halcyon days were the late 90’s, early 2k. We had tremendous flying adventures, great fun, aeros, BBQ, and three times a week flying. Everything was so relaxed and enjoyable. Groups of us to Blackpool and into the fair. The large roller coaster, take it off Kiddy mode, we have arrived. A meal, fly back in formation. Those really were the days.
Now? That airfield where we had all our fun. A thirty foot security fence around it. No airside access unless…..closes at 5.00. No access after hours. All the fly ins are usually cancelled due a multitude of reasons.
It is very expensive, so one has to get maximum enjoyment from your input. Bang for your buck.
To be greeted by old misery guts, sorry the cafe is closed, pay your landing fee, fuel three times what it costs at your base, etc etc. It is a grim picture.
Obviously there are still super adventures to be had, but when financial fortunes of the airfield operators are on a shoe string, working out how to get charity status because I will get off with paying business rates, etc, the fun kinda goes out of it.
Our bloody weather does not help either. So….I think the youth tend to concentrate on McLarens and large aspirated Beemers..and Insta
LeSving wrote:
They simply disappear, most of them straight after they get their license
here its different. The overall numbers are of course small – we have about 100GA planes+helicopters, and maybe 10PPL-s finish each year(50-70% who start drop out during the course). About the same number ATPL-s finish the flight academy. The strange thing is, all the academy graduates are already employed. And of the 10 PPL-s, about 5 have already bought planes. At least 3 are doing or did IR.
Obviously there are still super adventures to be had
Exactly, and nobody else will dig them out for you See you at Aosta ?
The overall numbers are of course small – we have about 100GA planes+helicopters, and maybe 10PPL-s finish each year(50-70% who start drop out during the course). About the same number ATPL-s finish the flight academy. The strange thing is, all the academy graduates are already employed. And of the 10 PPL-s, about 5 have already bought planes. At least 3 are doing or did IR.
I can’t explain that “massive statistical anomaly” other than by Estonia having only a wealthy, educated, intelligent, focused, etc group learning to fly. Across most of Europe, people have always struggled to hang in there, doing 5hrs/year and spending hundreds of hours on forums moaning about how terrible things are
The ex-communist countries were able to start with a clean sheet.
BeechBaby wrote:
Now? That airfield where we had all our fun. A thirty foot security fence around it. No airside access unless…..closes at 5.00. No access after hours
The general ratcheting up of burdensome procedures at airfields is probably a much bigger deal than anything the actual regulators have done.
Peter wrote:
doing 5hrs/year and spending hundreds of hours on forums moaning about how terrible things are
That was always my impression also. On trips of late, Germany appeared relaxed, Poland was still struggling, France, a country that I really like flying in, seemed still to be reasonable in its overall approach, as long as you are clear of the bigger airfields, and I liked Boscos write up on Norway and Sweden. So much so I attempted to discuss a trip with Mrs Beechbaby to Bergen, she can visit her brother. There was however a comment about over water and clouds..
Spain has always been a bit touch and go..What I have noticed is a large uptake of newcomers to the yacht scene, a lot…Folk buying up large DIY boats, and getting upgrades a plenty. Now whether that is a Covid related issue, not sure, but much busier scene than aviation, in our neck of the woods.
alioth wrote:
The general ratcheting up of burdensome procedures at airfields is probably a much bigger deal than anything the actual regulators have done.
Agree entirely, and I for one put up with it, but are far from happy about the situation. Trying to remember the last GA airfield that suffered a terror attack.
BeechBaby wrote:
You are so fortunate. I may consider a move to Estonia if things are that bright and prosperous. Fancy a swap to the UK?
Just had a 50h done in the UK and my mechanic confirms he’s never been this busy. Flight school in the area did 350 hours in January which is according to all involved a new record. On a personal note, I’ve done 18 hours so far in January and intend on flying a lot more. A trip to the UK from France and back can all be done without any of the COVID hassle (tests etc.) and despite 3 customs checks on this trip (one out of France, one into the UK, and one into France) the whole experience is limited to a bit of a glance at the passport and a until when were you planning to stay…
Whereas my business partners all got the full test treatment… (but they flew commercial ;-))
