Hello
I guess I will add .02 cents (maybe less) to this. I think the situatin is a mixture of most of the things mentioned. "The romance with aviation is over" - well somewhat but we still have young people wanting to be pilots. I have a Grandson in his late twentys who is a pilot now but now he's furloughed. You don't see planes flying up close anymore, they'er just a speck in the sky and a sound most of the time. But if you really want to know if there is interest go to an EAA openhouse at your local airport sometime and see how big the crowd is.
When we were growing up you could go to your HS most weekends and see people flying CL. Thats gone, but it's because they were run off due to liability and noise. The kids today didn't have anything to do with that - that was our generation that started forcing C/L to be remote, behind trees, so you couldn't be seen or heard. If you don't see it you can not be interested in it.
I do hate to hear that "want in now" description of our youth. I don't agree with all they do but then we didn't have the things that they have today that occupy their time - and who created most of those things and the creative advertising that makes you feel you have to have them
? You also competing with sports and believe me there is parential pressure for them to spend their time developing their talents there rather than on things like we do. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against sports but the importance that is placed on it now was no where near as great when we were growing up.
Our kids today are facing some difficult times. Between trying to get started in life, lack of jobs, a government that is determined to take all of their income that it can and some of us (including Me) telling them they have to do more - it's a wonder they don't get totally discouraged and just quit.
I have four children and they are all working but they are mostly just making it, and some months not making it. I still work because I know they may have problems and I don't want them to fail. My two sons and one grandson like to fly C/L when they can. But they are not in a position to buy equipment and do not have the time to build anyway. If I didn't give them a plane now and then they would not be in the hobby at all and we would miss some good times.
Bottom line in my opinion is some youth will get a taste of what we do if we try to share it with them and 40 years from now when they can afford it some of them will be back in the hobby and critizing our great-great grandchildren for being a "want it now" generation that does nothing.
FWIW
Dalton H.
Topic: It's the demographics (Read 8666 times)