Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group the Blame Game

 

----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Bair
> SP took a lot of machines out of circulation that were perfectly good
> trainers and unfortunately the economic timing of that happening
>couldn't have been worse.

I remember it a LITTLE differently Jim:
I remember a lot of "phony" instructors,"FAT ultralights", and incompetent
operators that thought they could get away with "stretching" the rules 'till
they broke the system.
You can't blame the new system for ruining the old system, blame the selfish
bastards that abused the system so badly that it had to be abandoned.

Rick

Hi Rick,

I remember the instructor issue as well and don't disagree with you on that subject.  However, I wasn't talking about instructors, I was talking about the aircraft itself.  My issue is that I had a really nice UL trainer which for a short time was acceptable as an N numbered SP trainer.  Now that exemption has run out and I was told directly by someone in OKC that they were under pressure from the manufacturers to not fix the problem because the obvious advantage to the manufacturers is they want to sell new aircraft.  I can't blame them.  However, I can't justify a new aircraft for the amount of instruction I do.  I have a really nice one already, it just isn't legal to instruct in commercially.  If someone wants to run a full time school (Helen, Abid, etc.) they may be able to justify it, but the small operator can't, unless he happens to be in the market for a new aircraft anyway.  However, mine is so far from being worn out I'm not even close to that.  So, I'm not really looking for students.  I'm helping people who find me or need BFR's or checkrides, but I am certainly not advertising for more.  It isn't financially worthwhile.  Unfortunately, I think for many small instructors, that's the case, and unfortunately the critical mass wasn't there when this all went down to keep things going if many instructors were lost.  I think the nearest other WSC instructor to me (my son doesn't count, we use the same trike) is 2 hours South and the next one is about 5 hours North.  Nobody in between.  So where does someone from central WI go if I quit?  A long ways.  Or they switch to fixed wing.  I would guess that 80% of the American population can find fixed wing aircraft and instructors within 30 minutes of their house.  Maybe even higher.  Trikes, not so much, and I'm afraid it's getting worse.

 

Jim

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