bilko2 wrote:IMHO airfields exist to have aircraft coming and going. If they need endless PPR, flight plans etc to do this for half the number of movements they had 20 years ago then something is wrong.
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Something is wrong with GA generally.
Avgas used to be substantially cheaper than road fuel.
Proliferation of noise abatement procedures so that a standard circuit is becoming a rare thing.
Nuisance complaints because they are so easy to make with modern technology and open access data.
Council planners approving or trying to approve new build housing too close to established airfields.
Planning restrictions on number of movements.
Airspace grabs creating infringement hotspots.
Airspace grabs creating pinchpoints for vfr traffic increasing collision risk.
Less situational awareness as more pilots keeping quiet on a listening squawk so someone else routing same area similar time wont know they are there on a LARS channel.
Airfield budgets squeezed as some pilots want the same landing fees as 20 years ago whilst the rest of the world has cost more with inflation if nowt else.
Many basic aircraft are yet another 20 years older as new ones need a lottery win.
Very few new GA types come to market to keep the scene fresh, interesting and evolving (all of which could encourage newcomers to make that first tentative step into the world of GA).
For a newcomer doing online research it appears to be very difficult to rent something that is not a Cessna or a Piper, with some exceptions, but mostly depends who you know, but a newcomer to GA would not have those contacts or a significant track record of flying skills.
At least we have moved away from the whizz wheel once got a licence.