Ultimate Issue: The State of U.S. General Aviation

Looking back then, today, and yet to come.

LeRoy Cook

Friday, August 02, 2024 at 09:21 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

There are many reasons to be eternally optimistic about general aviation. [Credit: iStock]

Key Takeaways:

General aviation experienced a "golden age" in the 1960s and 70s, characterized by rapid innovation in aircraft design, powerplants, and avionics, with manufacturers offering a wide array of models to fill every market niche.
A significant implosion in light aircraft production occurred in the mid-1980s due to economic factors and product liability lawsuits, leading to higher costs for new planes and a shift towards big-ticket, turbine-powered aircraft.
Modern general aviation benefits from revolutionary advanced avionics, navigation, and autopilot technology, often retrofitted into legacy aircraft, but faces challenges with the high cost of new aircraft and shifting airport priorities.
Despite potential disruptions from new technologies like UAM and concerns about governmental interference, the author remains optimistic about the future of flying, emphasizing humankind's innate desire to fly and the need for the GA community to advocate for its preservation.

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It has been my privilege to observe and participate in the development of what we enjoy today as general aviation, starting in the late 1950s.

More than anything else, it was my subscription to FLYING Magazine, beginning with the January 1955 issue, that created a thirst for additional knowledge and achievement. I was not alone. A lot of builders and dreamers were entering the private aviation industry in that era, helping transform it from a time of tube-and-rag taildraggers to sleek transportation aircraft.