I think that you've hit the nail on the head there, Capt Fathom.
GA is in decline because the cost of alcohol, and the associated taxes, have gone through the roof.
If the price of BEER had remained the same as it was in the 80's, then there would be MORE money available to spend on FLYING somewhere to appreciate it!
Let's face it. IF you could fly somewhere with 3 mates, for 5 days, and pay $1 per beer less, then over the course of 5 days.... let's see :
4 drinkers x 5 days = 20
20 drinking days at 20 beers = 400 beers, * $1 per beer = $400
$400 = 1.3 each way in a pa28 or similar!
and of course, this is only a group of regular drinkers - imagine if they were DECENT alcoholics!!!(or all pilots)
you could go further!
The more you drink, then the more you save. The more you save, the further you could go. The further you go, the more exotic it is. The more exotic is is, the more you drink!!!
it's all good