"Economy buffeting student pilots, flight schools"

[Jim Logajan]

"By JAMES HANNAH, Associated Press Writer – Sun May 3, 1:49 pm ET

DAYTON, Ohio – Ivan Nogalo can often hear small planes buzzing over his
machine shop in Cleveland. "You want to be up there," the 33-year-old said.

But Nogalo can't be. The would-be pilot has been grounded because the
economy has forced him to tighten his belt."

Rest of the story on Yahoo:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090503/ap_on_re_us/us_meltdown_pilots

[BT]

Our local flight school reported his business was down 40% this winter.
His variable expenses are down too, fuel, oil, maint, but his fixed expenses
for lease and insurance have not declined.

Our local Class D tower reports traffic count down by 50% average for the
last 3 months. They expect to loose staffing because of the decreased
traffic.

BT

"By JAMES HANNAH, Associated Press Writer - Sun May 3, 1:49 pm ET
DAYTON, Ohio - Ivan Nogalo can often hear small planes buzzing over his
machine shop in Cleveland. "You want to be up there," the 33-year-old said.
But Nogalo can't be. The would-be pilot has been grounded because the
economy has forced him to tighten his belt."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090503/ap_on_re_us/us_meltdown_pilots

[vaughn]

Post by BT
Our local flight school reported his business was down 40% this winter.
His variable expenses are down too, fuel, oil, maint, but his fixed
expenses for lease and insurance have not declined.

On the other hand, I have been flying a bit more because the drop in
traffic makes the experience so much more pleasant and fruitful and (yes)
safe. No more do I have watch the Hobbs continue to tick up the dollars why
I wait on the ground with up to five other little planes between me and the
runway threshold.

There are two sides to every story. If it has been a while since you
have been flying, now is the perfect time to go back.

Vaughn

[C Gattman]

   On the other hand, I have been flying a bit more because the drop in
traffic makes the experience so much more pleasant and fruitful and (yes)
safe.  No more do I have watch the Hobbs continue to tick up the dollars why
I wait on the ground with up to five other little planes between me and the
runway threshold.
   There are two sides to every story.  If it has been a while since you
have been flying, now is the perfect time to go back.

Commercial pilots and instructors, unfortunately, don't find fortune
in empty airports.

By all accounts, the winter in Oregon was brutal for GA. Cessna, in
fact, just closed down the Columbia plant it recently acquired in Bend
and laid off 200 people. (The native Oregonian wants to say "good
riddance," but, it's a bad thing.) Our state's 10% unemployment means
that fewer people can afford to fly. People are getting their
airplanes repossessed or trying to sell them, and FBOs can't afford to
buy them.

You guys should check out what's happening in Dubai. NWPilot tipped
me off to this when a ferry flight he had contracted fell through.

We're hoping that the lower cost of oil--which doesn't seem to have
reduced airplane rental rates yet--will hold out long enough to give
people a little more cash to spend flying this year. But, yeah...if
you like quiet airfields, now's the time.

Chris Gattman
CFI-ASEL-IA, Portland Oregon

[Morgans]

Post by C Gattman
You guys should check out what's happening in Dubai. NWPilot tipped
me off to this when a ferry flight he had contracted fell through.

That isn't enough of a tip to even look for something you are hinting
towards. What is it that is happening in Dubai, other than crazy growth and
building?

[C Gattman]

Post by Morgans

You guys should check out what's happening in Dubai.  NWPilot tipped
me off to this when a ferry flight he had contracted fell through.

That isn't enough of a tip to even look for something you are hinting
towards.  What is it that is happening in Dubai, other than crazy growth and
building?

Well, they built themselves the elements for a perfect storm:

1) Their media is censored, and if you write an article that can be
seen as counterproductive to the economy they can put you in jail.

2) They have, basically, debtors' prison. So, if you write a bad
check or default on a loan, you go to jail. So...

3) People who lost their jobs over their abandoned their property and
took the first flight out of Dubai. There are reports of hundreds of
new cars abandoned in the parking lot.

4) The crazy building spree was last year. Apparently, they cancelled
thousands of foreign work visas but never reported it, and since many
of the jobs were government projects, nobody knew exactly how bad it
was.

5) When a foreigner loses his job he has seven days to leave the
country. From what I've heard, he's expected to settle his debts
first. That's why there's all the abandoned property. As a result:

6) Nobody is lending to Dubai. And because they don't have a free
press, none of the investors, debtors or workers had fair warning.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/13/dubai-boom-halt

[Steve Hix]

Speaking of, I just got an email to notify that the FBO where I got
requalified to fly (after a 31-year hiatus), and flew their rental LSAs
has closed as of April 30. (Light Sport Aviation West, Salinas, CA.)

Sigh. It was a *great* year, getting back in the air.

Priorities; find full-time work, get back in the air. Again.

[Morgans]

Post by BT
Our local Class D tower reports traffic count down by 50% average for the
last 3 months. They expect to loose staffing because of the decreased
traffic.

By all means, get rid of the staffing that is not fastened down tightly.

I never have cared for people that are loose - except for women, in my
youth. <gg>

[BT]

Post by Morgans

Post by BT
Our local Class D tower reports traffic count down by 50% average for the
last 3 months. They expect to loose staffing because of the decreased
traffic.

By all means, get rid of the staffing that is not fastened down tightly.
I never have cared for people that are loose - except for women, in my
youth. <gg>
--
Jim in NC

LOL.. where is speel/gramer checker when you kneed it.