Sunfish
17th Mar 2005, 04:16
Rather than wailing and gnashing our teeth about regulatory changes, why don't we produce a list of what we DO want instead of going on ad nauseam about what we DON'T want?
I'm sick of this "GA is dead" nonsense, it isn't. Whats happening is that things are changing faster than some people can cope.
Since I know practically SFA about Aviation apart from coaxing a warrior or a 172 around a bit, I can speak with complete authority. On the other hand I do not have 30 years of aviation procedures to discard either.
There are a number of assumptions about trends that need to be made up front.
1) "User Pays" is pretty much here to stay. Forget about subsidies. If YMMB is more valuable as a shopping mall, then it will be a mall unless we pay accordingly. Same with other services. I'm surprised we are not already paying for met services.
2) Its pretty obvious that we are not wanted in controlled airspace. CASA's priority is passengers, not GA, which I guess is as it should be. We can expect that CASA will therefore want to devote the minimum amount of resources to GA consistent with its charter.
3) Technology is changing rapidly. In theory I can climb into my DA42 diesel twin (I wish!) at some grass strip somewhere and be 1400 miles away at another grass strip that day. I don't NEED air traffic control or whatever because I have GPS, and maybe ADS-B. I have a 406 EPIRB and I got my weather from the internet and maybe updated it on route via mobile phone.
Then of course look at Cirrus and their parachute system.
To put it another way, there seems to be some really good technology coming along, so maybe we don't need as much in the way of "services".
Again taking a leaf out of Diamond aircraft's book, we are starting to see something like "Automotive industry levels of quality and reliability"(if not cost!). In future, are we going to need the "100 hourly"? Why not "500 Hourly?" Have a look at their engine pricing model as well - you pay by the hour and they REPLACE (not overhaul) the engine at 2500 hrs. What other innovative financing methods are out there?
To put it another way, I reckon all the trends, including user pays and CASA's reprioritisation, coupled with emerging technologies may give GA the very boost it needs- fast safe and relatively cheap long distance transport to your destination of choice.
How minimal can regulation get? What bits really need more regulation? How are GA and sport (recreational) aviation going to blend?
I'm sick of this "GA is dead" nonsense, it isn't. Whats happening is that things are changing faster than some people can cope.
Since I know practically SFA about Aviation apart from coaxing a warrior or a 172 around a bit, I can speak with complete authority. On the other hand I do not have 30 years of aviation procedures to discard either.
There are a number of assumptions about trends that need to be made up front.
1) "User Pays" is pretty much here to stay. Forget about subsidies. If YMMB is more valuable as a shopping mall, then it will be a mall unless we pay accordingly. Same with other services. I'm surprised we are not already paying for met services.
2) Its pretty obvious that we are not wanted in controlled airspace. CASA's priority is passengers, not GA, which I guess is as it should be. We can expect that CASA will therefore want to devote the minimum amount of resources to GA consistent with its charter.
3) Technology is changing rapidly. In theory I can climb into my DA42 diesel twin (I wish!) at some grass strip somewhere and be 1400 miles away at another grass strip that day. I don't NEED air traffic control or whatever because I have GPS, and maybe ADS-B. I have a 406 EPIRB and I got my weather from the internet and maybe updated it on route via mobile phone.
Then of course look at Cirrus and their parachute system.
To put it another way, there seems to be some really good technology coming along, so maybe we don't need as much in the way of "services".
Again taking a leaf out of Diamond aircraft's book, we are starting to see something like "Automotive industry levels of quality and reliability"(if not cost!). In future, are we going to need the "100 hourly"? Why not "500 Hourly?" Have a look at their engine pricing model as well - you pay by the hour and they REPLACE (not overhaul) the engine at 2500 hrs. What other innovative financing methods are out there?
To put it another way, I reckon all the trends, including user pays and CASA's reprioritisation, coupled with emerging technologies may give GA the very boost it needs- fast safe and relatively cheap long distance transport to your destination of choice.
How minimal can regulation get? What bits really need more regulation? How are GA and sport (recreational) aviation going to blend?