Same as others are saying. It never really slowed down here (aviation was explicitly exempt from all restrictions) and the clubs and schools are booming. Covid is essentially over (at least in the US, certainly in CA), so the question now is more: will these new club members stay? IMHO much will depend if the work-from-home situation continues or not. If yes, then time for many will be much more flexible and they’ll keep flying. If not, I suspect we’ll see a fall-off.
‘Thankfully Putin invaded Ukraine, that made Corona go away’
Seriously, it’s not gone and won’t go soon. The whole family is sick at the moment, I’m reasonably sure it’s from the daycare – the incidents in germany are at an all time high, while at the same time, all restrictions have been loosened. I continue to wear mask, nearly everywhere I go, but you can’t do that to four year olds. And boy, was the smallest one coughing, we needed cortisone because he didn’t get any more air, his whole throat was swollen shut.
But we’re all innoculated, I don’t expect any issues, it’s just going to hurt the senior anti-vaxxers and my empathy with those is sorely limited.
There were a load of bad and outright idiotic rules, but for now it’s back to your own wits. Some people have that, some people don’t.
Yes, I go back to flying, yes, I’ll continue to wear a mask,
We have a self-fly safari going that is fully booked in a bit more than a month, so yes! we will be flying again and yes, I see a lot of interest of pilots wanting to catch up for any flying and flying trips they were not able to do over the course of the last 2 years.
Inkognito wrote:
The whole family is sick at the moment, I’m reasonably sure it’s from the daycare – the incidents in germany are at an all time high, while at the same time, all restrictions have been loosened.
My wife and me had it about 3 weeks ago, she probably picked it up when she had to go to the ER with a ski injury. We were out for about a week (5 days quarantine plus 2-3 days before we could be let loose again) with “mild” symptoms thanks to both of us being tripple jabbed, what remains is fatigue and general tiredness. It is clearly not gone at all and never will.
Inkognito wrote:
There were a load of bad and outright idiotic rules, but for now it’s back to your own wits. Some people have that, some people don’t.
Yes, I go back to flying, yes, I’ll continue to wear a mask,
I still wear masks when going to shops and generally inside, but that is for the protection of those around me, as with the tripple vaccine and the actual passing of the illness I don’t consider myself in danger anymore. Thankfully most of the time we are outside now in this wonderful spring.
I think the testing requirements have discouraged many more people than were willing to admit.
Some of the stuff I have done over the last 2 years would be described as pure sado masochism 
But, wonderful trips, to places with almost no tourists. I will always remember them.
Peter wrote:
But, wonderful trips, to places with almost no tourists. I will always remember them.My sister sent me unbelievable pictures with her alone in Venice and skiing, in Ischgl, of all the places, with no one around.
But those with children, especially small ones, got shafted… let’s see how this continues.
Peter wrote:
I think the testing requirements have discouraged many more people than were willing to admit.
Primarily the risk ob being stuck in a foreign country without any means to get back home I think.
Peter wrote:
But, wonderful trips, to places with almost no tourists. I will always remember them.
In retrospect I consider myself lucky, we had several trips to BG during that time, all of which went without too much trouble but at least 2 of which came extremely close to become a major headache as the fall waves exploded just after we got home, with all consequences.
Nevertheless, double vaccinated people had still quite a bit of travel freedom in most places. Once that was in place, travel picked up quite a bit. Still, we should be aware that the whole thing IS fragile and it is only a time before excessive numbers will cause some countries to come back to new measures. Keeping vaccination status updated is the easiest to travel I suppose.
Primarily the risk ob being stuck in a foreign country without any means to get back home I think.
It turns out they just tell you to fly back home if you are dumb enough to turn up without meeting the requirements. But actually the risk is negligible because you get the test done and you won’t fly if it fails.
It was a real problem in certain cases where you could get detained, if you had to divert on an overflight.
There is a small number of anti vaccers in GA who won’t fly on principle, but a lot of people just don’t like hassle, especially when there are family pressures to not fly, usually.
those with children, especially small ones, got shafted
Yes; high chance of somebody being positive. But the testing has ended now, for most countries.
I think CV19 restriction killed the willingness to go elsewhere for leisure and tourisme, irrespective of the means of travel, however, if you had to travel ,the hassle of flying yourself in own piston aircraft was really tiny compared to similar experience in car, train and airliners
Peter wrote:
It turns out they just tell you to fly back home.
Well it’s very likely possible in your own GA aircraft but in CAT aircraft you are literally stuck: I have flown via Lille airport after doing a rushed per-departure CV19 test at Lille TGV station, I never received the test result by email, still no issues getting through X-ray machine, customs…
Was there any documented case of someone privately flying and being stuck due to CV19? or it’s just a risk that one think could materialize like breaking a leg in the beach while on day trip at LeTouquet? or not being able to start the engine?
Personally, these two years lead to a major change in our situation and how we view our future.
Flying is now lower in my priorities. I try to keep my SEP current, not much more.
