the main reason that all those C402, 404, 421, Piper Chieftain`s etc etc appeared in Aussie skies way back in the late 70`s was...
...at least partly, that major manufacturers were building a great many aircraft and operators were able to charge a decent fee to pay them off.
Roads were poor or non-existent compared to today, telecommunications expensive, poor or non-existent, and so on. The oil price was extremely low and there was a lot of protectionism in the Australian economy.
The 1970s was the end of the golden post-war era and recessions in 1974/5 and 1982/3 changed the economic landscape.
In the 1980s, Bankstown operators were able to charge out Chieftains at $1000 per hour... in 1980 dollars.
In 2015 the going rate is $1200 and I have heard some operators brag that they're "only charging for legs with pax".
These enthusiasts and adventurers only drive down market expectations and their eventual forced administration and liquidation only drives up costs and pressures on the operators left behind
I hope Dick achieves something worthwhile, and not just for him and his mates but for the GA Industry too.
...but I fear having a billionaire take up the cudgels on our behalf will have as much influence on the Great Unwashed as Clive and Gina crying about how poorly treated the mining companies are.
WE all know that's not reality, but what have we done to change that public perception?
The AMA, National Farmers Federation, Beef exporters, and many other industry associations have managed to build public awareness of what they deliver.
To the general public, GA just means rich people in dangerous small aeroplanes.