Why does America do it better?

[sternone]

It can be very boring, the same landscape for hours.
And some small airfields can be a little unwelcoming, I was even asked if I'm a terrorist once when I was looking for the FBO.

I have flown many hours in the USA. The air is as boring as it is in Keesland. You just have to be more on your game for the radio work in the USA. They are not really ready for guys from Holland with more than a heavy accent.

I would ask myself some questions if they ask you if you're a terrorist.

[Maoraigh1]

Most of my flying in the U.S. has been West Colorado, Utah, South Dakota, and inland Oregon. The landscape is anything but boring. I've had no problems with the radio. Flight Service very helpful. Cheap rental of clean, well equipped aircraft, no landing charges. Reliable weather, excellent visability. Cheap good hotels and food.

[KeesM]

I would ask myself some questions if they ask you if you're a terrorist.

I did, since I was asked about a week earlier if I was a Russian( that was during the Russian/ Georgian conflict). And that for somebody who is being called a Kr**t by pretty much everybody except Germans.

Yep, you are right. I've to do something about my apperance. The trouble is that wooden shoes are a pain to fly with.

[sternone]

You might do what most of the Holland arrogant guys need to do, come of that pedestal and feel how it is having your both feet on the ground.

[obgraham]

Originally Posted by KeesM

I was even asked if I'm a terrorist once when I was looking for the FBO.

What was your answer? A guy clomping around in his woodies must be up to no good!

[KeesM]

After my "Huh???, what, me, no." and explaining that I'm a pilot and looking for the FBO nothing happened.

As for guys walking on woodies, they should be used to that. It was Michigan after all.( Nice state btw)

[172driver]

I was even asked if I'm a terrorist once when I was looking for the FBO.

You see, herein lies the difference: in the US they ask you nicely if you are, in fact, a terrorist. In the UK, they assume you are one

[Arclite01]

Humidity in the southern US can be a pain.

Next time I fly there I am going to try up around New England or maybe more inland central US. Oh and I found the guys I flew with were just hours builders who had limited knowledge of anything outside a PA28 or a C172......... tailwheel Eh ??? what's that then ?

Never seen so many giant concrete runways..................... farm strip Eh ???? what's that then ??

Still nice people though. If I win the the Lotto I am gonna move there and have myself a taildragger on an Airpark someplace.

Arc

[gpn01]

CAA = Civil Aviation AUTHORITY = Controlling organisation
FAA = Federal Aviation ADMINISTRATION = Enabling organisation

Similar in a way to other US vs UK things, e.g....

Prime legislation in the UK = Official Secrets Act - if you want to know about your own government you need to ask and they may say you don't need to know
In the US = Freedom of Information Act - the government makes data freely available

Quite funny that there's a polarising change going on now though. US introduced the Patriot Act (which allows it to intercept and confiscate books, publications, computers, etc. at the border). The UK has introduced the Freedom of Information Act which gives it a formal process to still say you can't access its data.

[KeesM]

You might do what most of the Holland arrogant guys need to do, come of that pedestal and feel how it is having your both feet on the ground.

What has Holland to do with me? That town is about 4100 miles from where I live and an additional 120 from I was born.
I completely fail to see what you mean.

Btw I checked the family names of the original settlers of Holland, nobody with my name.

[chrisbl]

Every aspect of GA is heavily subsidised by the US taxpayer from generous tax breaks on buying aircraft to subsidised publicly owned airports, minimal tax on fuel.

GA is treated in the same light as gun ownership. It is all part of the frontiersman metality which pervades the US psyche to this day.

Now what is our approach to gun ownership? Beside which I think our population has grown up the US are still babies really.

[fholbert]

Yea, any day now we're expecting an attack from the Netherlands!

[mm_flynn]

Originally Posted by chrisbl

Every aspect of GA is heavily subsidised by the US taxpayer from generous tax breaks on buying aircraft to subsidised publicly owned airports, minimal tax on fuel.

While it is certainly true that a significant cost of the FAA and some airports is supported (subsidised) by the general taxpayer and this helps with low landing fees and better weather services, the bulk of the savings in the US is down to volume and intrinsically lower costs for doing anything.

The approach to fuel taxation is an example. In the UK fuel is bad and must be punitively taxed, any retrenchment from this punitive taxation is a subsidy.

In the US, fuel is part of running an aircraft and is a good low transaction cost source of income for the FAA - and this type of tax is hypothecated (that is can not be used as a general source of revenue but only as a 'user fee' for the services used) so is reaonably limited in scale. The low marginal cost of flying means volume is much higher, fixed cost spread much lower, which means better infrastructure, which means more flying.

[Katamarino]

I'd say that the landscape in the US is significantly less boring than the landscape here in Holland

I have not yet found anything thats worse about flying in the US than Europe, and almost anything is just orders of magnitude ahead of over here. The USA needs to fight hard to stop their freedoms being eroded to the pathetic levels we have over here in State-controlled Europe, where I pay nearly $300/hr for a rather ancient 172 - and our club is one of the better ones! I can't wait to leave!

[IO540]

Very much agree with the two posts above.

If I had the time, I could type for hours about why flying is cheaper in the USA, but a few little examples will do.

USA: Installing an EHSI (N-reg plane) is a minor mod.
UK: As above (N-reg plane too) "needs" a DER, 337, this and that, £1000 in paperwork.

USA: Installing 2xGNS530W (N-reg plane) is a minor mod.
Europe: As above (Euro-reg plane) is a Major Mod, paperwork fees into 4 digits.

USA: FAA DAR charges $300 (N-reg)
Europe: FAA DAR charges £1300 (N-reg)

USA: landing fee at a major airport = 0
Europe: landing/handling fee = £150

One thing a sharp reader may notice is that none of the above are really connected with trading volume. They are purely "attitude" issues, with no logic involved.

There are many "trading volume" savings of course. Interestingly, a lot of these can be "imported" over here... e.g. you operate a fleet of 10 C172s; you can buy all the parts for them mail order from the USA (an FAA 8130-3 form is fine for a non-AOC G-reg) in bulk.

[david viewing]

I have not yet found anything thats worse about flying in the US than Europe,

Oh I have. They get nothing like the laughs that we obtain from our cultured style in self serving lagubrious over paid bureacracy. For instance, like the other day when my (completely pointless) "if you go missing and don't raise the alarm we won't come looking for you" UK VFR flightplan got the response that their "memory was full and I should re-submit in 4596 days" or something. Beat that, USA!

[AdamFrisch]

This doesn't help (actual email quoting from CAA in changing JAR license state):

"As your application has been assessed by Personnel Licensing Department, please note that, should you decide to cancel your application, an assessment fee of £103 will apply as per our current Scheme of Charges. Should the initial cost of the entire application be less than £103, then this fee will be considered as the cancellation charge and you will not be entitled to a refund."

I've already paid £176 to get the change done. Now should I not want to proceed I will get billed an additional £103 for NOT continuing? What did I pay the £176 for then?

You couldn't make it up if you tried. Only in the UK.

[KeesM]

I'd say that the landscape in the US is significantly less boring than the landscape here in Holland

Yes, but the atractive bits in the US are connected by very wide boring bits. And if you land somewhere it is pretty much the same place as where you left. Some people like that because it is convenient, I do not.

[CraigJL]

^^

But it's not such a financial pain to cross these boring bits - it = more flight time no matter where you're flying over.

[belowradar]

Good old CAA

We note your change of address in your recent letter to us, please fill in form xyz to advise us of your change of address.

NO, How about my letter should be sufficient !

I also asked for a decision based on current regs and was advised that they were discussing changes and would put my letter on file until the regulation changes were fully decided.

How about you make a decision based on the regulations currently in force and we review if and when said changes happen?

Imagine similar logic applied to an airline, "We were going to fly you to Dublin today however we will just wait at the gate for a few weeks (months or even years) until the CAA clarify what regulation changes may be imminent".

Laughable !