...And Here, Darn it, Are The Heartbreakers

It is both the most "fun," and most difficult task, facing the ANN staff at the end of every year -- determining who, or what, did the most to promote the cause of aviation in the past 365 days... while also chastising those people or entities that did all they could to undermine the many successes the aerospace community has managed to accomplish.

Alas, 2007 saw more than its fair share of downers, aviation-wise. Sure, "stuff" happens... but a few folks, issues, or entities seemed to go out of their way to create problems for the world of aviation.

So... it is ANN's annual obligation to recognize a solid dozen of our Aero-Heartbreakers for 2007... in something of an informal order, starting from 12th to the 1st. Let us know what you think of our selections... whom YOU would have liked be included, or omitted, from such a list. In the meantime, we hope those who had something to do with this year's selections think a little more positively about the welfare of this industry, so that future lists become harder and harder to catalog. Be it ignorance, arrogance or just plain incompetence, these were the folks or topics that made our lot a whole lot more difficult and immeasurably injured the aviation world in the past year.

Shame on those issues, folks or topics that made our lot so much tougher in 2007...

From the Heartbreaker's List #9: Fuel Prices  

While no one will tell you that aviation is cheap, fuel costs have made a bad situation worse... and in ways that have not only affected how much people are flying, but WHAT they are flying. Reports of $6 and $7/gallon Avgas prices are not at all that unusual and it's a rare find to buy the stuff anywhere near the low end of the $4 range anymore...

For those of us who burn 15/17 gph on a thirsty (OK, WAY more than thirsty) IO-540, the resultant $60-$80/hour basic operating costs have made the hundred dollar hamburger a distant memory and the $200 hamburger is fading fast -- unless you (ahem) get places REALLY fast... like I do in my Glasair III (but I digress... sorry).

So... it's getting tough(er) to afford flying... meaning that autogas (such as it is) at $3++/gallon pricing is awfully attractive for the light aircraft segment than can burn it. Further; the allure of cheaper Jet A for the new Diamond and Cessna diesels gets more enticing by the day. What this means is that efficiency is finally becoming an issue for a number of flyers -- and the companies that build their airplanes -- so that the more cost-effective singles are going to do well while thirstier twins (despite their redundancy) are going to be easy to buy and tough to tank up. Diamond is looking positively prescient at the moment with the efficiencies of the DA42 to bank on...

We expect to see far more made of future aircraft efficiencies, even more made of the use of alternatively fueled powerplants and the ever-increasing need for FADEC and other fuel-efficient/tolerant systems are sure to be increased demonstrably over the coming year. None of these things are bad... we just wish they that would come about as a function of the inherent genius/progress of the industry -- rather than as a result of the need to service the costs of fueling up.

2008 looks to be an interesting year, folks... say, how much is that Diesel Skyhawk, anyway?

FMI: You tell us, how are high fuel prices affecting YOUR flying?