I am willing to bet.. if the cost of flight training in the US wasn't to expensive (though it's even MORE expensive in the EU) then the US wouldn't be having as much of a pilot shortage... (due to many American pilots going ExPat).. however with a generic 172 costing 75/hr to operate.. plus the rising prices of fuel.. plus many 141 schools charging over 55/hr for flight instruction (even though the CFI won't see 10 bucks of that) it's turning many potential pilots away.
I started flight training in 2000, and it cost me (and price of housing & living) about 80,000 US Dollars.. I think the average now is over 100,000 US dollars.. who in the world wants to pay back a student loan for 20 years as a second mortgage?