Victa, affirm - I'm hearing ya!
So true.
I think in years to come the 1950's -1990's will be remembered as "The Golden Age" of aviation.
Don't wish to sound like a pessimistic person, but I think it is over.
I read an article recently saying between 1965 and 1975 in the states, both the airline and GA industry grow at a huge 20% PER YEAR, EVERY YEAR. I don't know what the figures back here were but no doubt in the 10-15% range.
What has happened in the last 5 years?
Business travel, once the bread and butter of the airlines has dropped, they reckon (who ever 'they' are) has dropped about 20%, most of this before 9/11 actually. There is now no need now to fly business people across the lands for meetings as you now have internet video conferencing.
People, in this country are travelling less. Read an article last month in the Syd Morning Herald that said people in the last 5 years (especially in wanky Sydney) are spending big dollars on big fancy TV systems. People in Sydney who have friends that have real jobs will tell you that half their friends have invested in these fantastic 10 grand systems rather than go on holidays.
And lets be honest, it is only a matter of time before good old Bush invades someone else and it's off to war again.
Unfortunately, thanks to the big down turn in aviation, for the first time ever, the airline industry is just like GA. That is, too many qualified drivers and not enough jobs.
It appears, at all levels in aviation, it is a management hobby to bend pilots over and get them to grab both ankles with both hands.
Sorry, I think the golden age is over, probably forever, a bit sad really!