This Just In -- LSA Is For ALL Ages
by ANN Managing Editor Rob Finfrock
I'll admit, I had misgivings when I passed through the gates of
Sebring last week for the start of US Sport Aviation Expo 2007.
Right there, front and center, was the (loyal EAA sponsor) Ford
Motor Company display... and prominently featured was a new Mercury
Grand Marquis, a popular full-sized sedan with retirees, and top
contender for Official Car of Central Florida.
"Well," I thought to myself, "they know their market."
And for the first part of last Thursday, little I saw changed my
mind about that. The dominant age group among the throngs checking
out the new and impressive offerings in the light sport market
seemed to be the 50+ crowd. According to the EAA, that demographic
comprises the largest segment so far of the sport pilot market:
retirees (and those approaching retirement) who are either looking
for options to stay flying without a medical certificate, or pilots
who may have begun flying lessons in their younger days, and are
now looking for the easiest, least-expensive manner to start up
again.
Don't get me wrong -- that's absolutely wonderful. What strikes
me as the most promising aspect of the almost-three-years-old sport
pilot movement is the inclusiveness of it: it is open to pilots of
all ages, and all backgrounds. There is absolutely no reason a
person should not be able to take flight on their terms, so long as
they feel fit to do so. Fact is, with the proper training, anyone
who can operate a car can fly a light sportplane, and that's how it
should be.
For the most part, however, the crowd that first
morning at Sebring seemed to be made up of older faces, having
their questions answered by younger salespeople. The interested
crowd that morning was more CBS, less Fox or NBC, and that was
somewhat dismaying to see, at least to me.
But that was the early crowd... the people who didn't
necessarily have to be at their jobs on a Thursday morning. By the
afternoon, there were more and more younger people present --
including several who appeared to be of high school age, or maybe
in their first year of college. And these weren't just 'kids'
looking to pass the time, or cop a demo ride on an airplane.
There were even more relative youngsters at Sebring on Friday;
and while I was unable to attend over the weekend, others tell me
the Gen X and Y segments were out in force as part of the weekend's
VERY healthy overall attendance. It looks like Sebring -- and sport
pilot -- is literally starting to take off with the younger
crowd.
And as I eavesdropped on several conversations Thursday and
Friday -- like any good journalist does -- I noticed almost all of
these younger candidates were asking the right questions, and
listening intently at the answers -- just like their more...
experienced... counterparts:
"Is this plane available for flight training yet? Where?"
"What's the base price? And what about the model you have on
display?" (With all the gadgets most pilots want.)
"Any problems with insurance? And what financing options are
available?"
And, my personal favorite, asked by an unidentified (and quite
articulate) 20-something to one of the foreign-sourced LSA
distributors:
"How terrified are you about Cessna?"
This is an educated crowd, and one not easily scared off. Which
is exactly what Sport Pilot needs to be successful. It's a cliche,
but like many such statements, one steeping in reality: new blood
freshens the market. Chances are, these "kids" (hey, I'm over 30, I
can use that term) aren't concerned about their medical status, nor
would I expect most of them to say they plan on stopping at 'just'
their sport pilot ticket. For now, they just want to fly... and
they want to do it as inexpensively as possible.
At this moment, three ANN staffers are actively pursuing their
sport-pilot tickets, including yours truly. I'd say the three of us
represent a fairly accurate cross-section of the sport pilot
movement, as it stands right now.
- We have a Mom, whose kids are in college and has just recently
caught the flying bug;
- Another is an experienced pilot and once-CFI, who just wants to
get in the air again;
- And then there's the 30-something Managing Editor, who's
interested in Sport Pilot for a couple of reasons.
Although I have a lot of time as a student pilot in C172s,
including a fair amount solo, circumstances have kept me from going
forward with my training. Until last year, those problems were
entirely financial... but then a medical issue sidelined me for
several months. Fortunately, all is OK now, but it has presented an
interesting dilemma.
While I shouldn't have any problem getting a Third Class Medical
again -- mine lapsed during the health ordeal, and Oklahoma City
would have to review my application for a new medical -- why should
I go through that hassle, if I can do the kind of flying I've
always liked, for a lot less money than renting that Cessna?
I don't need to roar through the clouds, like Jim in his
Glasair; in fact, I don't much care for crosswinds stronger than 15
knots or so. Give me spotless skies, a few hours of spare time on a
Saturday morning, and a few hundred dollars in the checking
account, and I'll putter around the skies within 30 miles or so of
my home field to my heart's content, happy as a clam. Flying isn't
about the destination for me; it's all about the journey, even if I
can't legally go faster than 120 knots and it would take me two
days to go 700 miles, weather permitting. All the better to enjoy
the trip, anyway.
Sport pilot represents my flying future, if only for the next
few years. Yeah, I'll eventually go after my private pilot
rating... and probably my IFR ticket, as well. For now, though, the
sport pilot route represents the most logical avenue to pursue my
path into the skies -- as it does, from the evidence at Sebring
this weekend, for many others.
Two-and-a-half years in... it would appear Sport Pilot has
arrived. Now all we need are more training centers (fortunately,
more seem to be popping up every day) and more planes available for
rental afterwards. But if the segment keeps growing... those things
WILL follow.
It's encouraging to see.