We need to change the attitude to GA and flying. Help out instead. Or did you spunk it all on a new car
Exactly Adam.
Cessna, Piper and others didn't build many tens of thousands of 4-seat people movers (complete with velour seats and plastic interior trim ) for doing pattern work or aerobatics. They were designed, built and sold for transporting family, friends, and colleagues from place to place.
Yes Silvaire, that is true enough, yet many people never leave the extended pattern for lack of funds, guts and the proper airplane. I don't fly to do pattern work either but to get to places. Via est Vita, but not only. There has to be something at the end of the Via to make the trip worthwile too.
@stewmath
That is fair enough i didnt realise you was calculating on the basis of all other car costs. In that respect i take back my comment
No, I am glad you brought it up. Because it is one of the most common arguments you hear. Nobody I know calculates the cost of his car properly, it's just a fact of life. Yet, beancounters (which includes spouses when it comes to flying and other "costly" hobbies) will calculate in detail how expensive your airplane is. Well, I find that the tax office knows pretty well how much a car costs and I would assume that the prices they quote for us to deduct are below the actual ones, or do they usually encourage you to deduct more than absolutely necessary? If one needs to compare, the full calculation has to go in it.
Likewise if people quote Ryanair fares to me when talking cost of a trip in my airplane. Well, fine, if Ryanair goes where I want to go to, they are cheaper. But they do not and even if they did, will their schedule match my needs? If they only fly once a day, how much will the hotel and loss of time cost? I once proved to someone that even if Ryan would fly me for free it would still be cheaper for me to do the trip myself, as it would mean the loss of 2 working days plus 2 nights in a high price hotel environment plus plus plus to do the trip with a loco carrier. Do it with a regular one on a daytrip ticket and possibly with 2-3 people and GA will beat the airlines almost every time on short haul.
I got another one for you. People hate me when I do that but it is just as true. What does your TIME cost? Easy. Take your monthly income, divide by the hours you work per month and you got a figure. Apply that to some of your activities and you'll be surprised. I find that if I add time to the equation, the result is even more stunning. Beancounters can be beat with their own wet noodle if one puts one's mind to it
