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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!hao!noao!terak!doug
From: doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Primary aircraft proposal.
Message-ID: <217@terak.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 10-Dec-84 12:34:03 EST
Article-I.D.: terak.217
Posted: Mon Dec 10 12:34:03 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Dec-84 04:49:49 EST
References: <4@decvax.UUCP> <213@terak.UUCP> <332@wnuxb.UUCP>
Organization: Terak Corporation, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Lines: 44

> Huh?  Mr. Pardee seems to be saying:
> 
> 	- Private pilots can't afford "transportation" aircraft, therefore
> 	- They quit flying, therefore
> 	- The remaining private pilots can live with used high-end planes.
> 
> Or, put more simply:
> 
> 	- Inflated prices have driven down demand, therefore
> 	- There is no problem.
> 

Yup, that's what I'm saying.  Except that it is NOT inflated prices
which have reduced demand (see below).

> Does this mean high prices are good for industry and the buying public?

Nope.  Just because that is the way that it is doesn't mean that it's
the way things SHOULD be.  The problem is the reduced demand, and I
lay the blame for that primarily with the "leaders" of the general
aviation.  Folks like AOPA, GAMA, NATA, etc (but not EAA).  These
groups have consistently claimed that people don't (and shouldn't)
fly for the fun of it.  That flying is Transportation, pure and
simple, with all of the glamor of riding in a Greyhound bus.

You have to spend a LOT of money to get a plane that will provide
reliable transportation in all weather conditions, and there is
no obvious way to reduce the costs of THAT TYPE of airplane.  The
Primary Aircraft proposal is an attempt to lift the burden of
all-weather/all-conditions certification from fun-flying type planes.
After all, you wouldn't seriously take a J-3 Cub or an Airknocker
type of plane into IFR conditions or even make extended flights
in severe turbulence.  And it's awfully hard to kill yourself in
a forced landing at the speeds that a J-3 lands at.  Even without
"crash-worthiness" improvements.

But we already have a LOT of low-cost fun-flying planes.  Matter of
fact, it's getting darned difficult to sell one 'cuz it's a buyer's
market.  What we NEED is a public-relations program which stresses
the FUN of flying, even flying an airplane that is NOT reliable
all-weather transportation.  When the used plane market started to
dry up, THEN we would need the Primary Aircraft proposal.

Doug Pardee -- Terak Corp. -- !{hao,ihnp4,decvax}!noao!terak!doug