The decade from 2010 to 2019 for General Aviation was one of tremendous technological progress, from computer watches to autonomous flight control. Manufacturers also launched some amazing new planes, including a jet from Cirrus, the incredible globetrotting Gulfstream G650, a remarkable diesel twin, the DA-62, from Diamond, among others. At the same time we in GA continued to fight against onerous regulation, often but not always successfully, while working to keep the activity we love open, accessible and fun, challenges that won’t end with a new decade but that will certainly be met by a population of passionate aviators focusing on what really matters, the joy and freedom of flight.
Flying Costs Keep Rising
The worst kept secret of the last decade is that flying is expensive and getting more so. In part the expense is due to the price of avgas, which has largely resisted the dips in auto fuel prices weâve seen come and go over the past 10 years as oil production worldwide has reached record levels. But everything else, from hangars to annual inspections, is going up in price, too. This includes the cost of new planes, the prices of which put them out of reach of the vast majority of American consumers. All of this adds up to additional pressure on the US GA pilot population and its fleet composed mostly of older model planes.