Jabba, its not so much about investing in the future its all about surviving now. Just don't have an endless pit of money to keep throwing at aging aircraft.
We in GA are bleeding and this is the only way I can see of pulling in the costs even with us having our own maintenance. At the end of the day the bottom line still says we will have same margins, we will just switch maintenance bills for loan or lease payments but hopefully pickup a bit with less downtime, require less aircraft and try and remain in business a bit longer. Think this is the CASA solution to Aging aircraft - keep on increasing inspections until it is no longer viable to commercially run that aircraft.
Question is how do we replace them? A 182 sold new in 1978 for $22,000 what are they now around the $7 to $800,000. New 206 around the $900,000 fly away. Unless you live on a pot of gold, how can a small aviation business get payback on repayments that high unless you have cast iron contracts of a substantial period. And not many of them out there any more.
Drought effected farmers with assets of up to 2.5 million can get low interest loans from the government, why cannot we get the same thing to replace aging aircraft. We are in the bush, we are getting screwed by forces out of our control, we are laying of people because we don't have the work. Lots of parallels.
GA is really bleeding hard, and the sad fact that the only time the general public hears about any thing to do with aviation having any problems is when Qantas has its first six monthly loss in years. The little guys have been bleeding harder, for longer, all you need to do is look at the number of Charter operators left compared with 20 years ago. I would love to make a profit instead of a basic wage.
I have got sick of submitting white papers and writing to MP's about issues like aging aircraft, over regulation, funding for upgrading outback strips etc. All seems to fall on deaf ears. All the lobbyist organisations we have been members of in the past seem to be just as frustrated with the general attitude of the powers that be, seems the pollies think its all to hard to sort out and are very good at giving promises without action. Will see what Truss comes up with but not banking on anything changing.
Now I have decided (and my wife says about time) not try to change the whole world, only mine. I keep out of arguments, keep my head down. This is why I don't give out email or PM with anyone as I tend to get suckered back into politics and I don't have the time or energy when I feel nothings going to change. Found NO SAR is much more pleasant. Nothing personal Jaba, want to keep it all in open forums that is the best way I feel of trying to get everyone involved in healthy open discussion.
Tnuc, re your comments on searching for aircraft, I found the same thing so really cannot understand why Cessna stopped offering naturally aspirated and analogue options when second hand market is showing buy preference is still for a basic good old ute, workhorse that has proven itself time and time again.