Elitism
 

Is GA a little elitist/an in-crowd?

GA no I think not. But maybe anything above that is reserved for shall we say "the better heeled" as the cost of obtaining ATPL is becoming out of the reach of most and financing your atpl through the banks/loans of one sort and another is financial suicide.

GA, no. Although some individuals can be.

However the public perciption is that it is elitest

Before I was a PPL I thought pilots were God like, used to watch the titchy planes flying overhead and be jealous as ****. I thought flying a plane must be the most exciting thing in the world and would be way out of my league. I took a trial lesson and it is not as difficult as we pretend :)
So yes, people do think I am more intelligent than I am when I mention that I am a pilot (at least 5 times a day :D ) but when I take them flying and let them take the controls, they realise it is just an early-middle aged bloke turning a 'wheel' left, right, up and down and talking funny on the radio.

28th,,

Remind me never to fly into Welsh airspace! :p

Oh and, no I don't think GA is elitist.

I found some people to be, maybe some with more ratings than others. But then, he who laughs first....

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e·lit·ism or é·lit·ism Pronunciation Key (-ltzm, -l-)
n.
The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources.

The sense of entitlement enjoyed by such a group or class.
Control, rule, or domination by such a group or class.

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So you could argue that the definition states that it is not.

However in practical terms flying is only for a happy few:

And there are some folk out there that behave as though that is their God given right so they behave as though they are an elite.

FD

GA Flying is not elitist at all, if you look at the average car park at a flying club and compare it to your average golf club you can see we would rather spend our money on flying than posing in jags at the golf club!

There's more than a fair share of Porsches, Mercs and Jags at my airfield.

This clearly doesn't extend to the bays marked for ATC, CFI and the other instructors...

Elitist? No. I find flying a great leveller, amongst pilots that is......

DOC

Bl**dy hell, a poll where we all agree... ;) :)

cinman,

Please define "elitist".

This Tuesday early evening, it was a perfect time for a bit of night flying. No cloud, little wind, no frost & a beautiful moon.

While swaning over the M25 near Dartford, I noticed that all the traffic was stationery for miles, in both directions.

As we flew passed the traffic, doing around 140k, I could not help feeling very elite. ;)

Where are you coming from fella? I don't get you at all...

GA is not elitist. In fact a mate of mne has pointed out the difference between flying clubs and golf clubs... generally a lot more money is spent at flying clubs - but there can be an awful lot more "eltism" in your average home counties golf club, eh!

This debate is below me. :D

I have only just started my PPL and was pleasantly surprised to find that my local club was not elitist at all!
I thoroughly enjoy going to the clubhouse even if it is just for a cup of tea.

But people outside the GA world do think of it as special and elitist.

paulo - nice one! :D

Distaff beancounter - I was probably in that traffic jam down there - looking up at you !:D

On the other hand...

Many microlight pilots think they're looked down on by other (Group A) pilots, and perhaps they are. They retaliate by saying they're better pilots, and have more fun, and that their clubs are more sociable. Some helicopter pilots (not me, honest!!!!!) think rotary is the only way to go, and the converse...now, no eggbeater jokes please. Twin pilots look down on single engine pilots, taildragger pilots make derogatory remarks about spamcans. Meanwhile, we few TAPs (total aviation people) fly anything we can get hold of (even kites) and wonder what this is all about.

Elitism in GA? Yes, definitely. But not quite the way you meant it I think, cinman.

The posters on this thread have fallen into the common mistake of equating the words "elite" and "elitist" with snobbery. There is nothing on earth wrong with being an elite. Most managers hope to develop an elite team so that they can achieve more than their competitors. The armed forces are, we hope, an elite, they cost a lot and I hope that they are the best and most effective. One of the meanings of the word elitist is "pride in or awareness of being an elite group". Again nothing wrong with that.

Are we an elite? who knows or cares? Are we snobs "A person who strives to associate with those of a higher social status and who behaves condescendingly to others"? Some are but so what.