Comments on: Flying is about to get a lot more expensive http://blog.xcski.com/2007/05/22/flying-is-about-to-get-a-lot-more-expensive Everything I used to bore people on newsgroups and mailing lists with, now in one inconvenient place. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 03:39:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/2007/05/22/flying-is-about-to-get-a-lot-more-expensive#comment-25253 Paul Tomblin Wed, 23 May 2007 11:09:18 +0000 http://blog.xcski.com/2007/05/22/flying-is-about-to-get-a-lot-more-expensive#comment-25253 The weird thing is that club type insurance (ie without a named pilot policy so that anybody in the club can fly it) is available for complex (ie. retractable landing gear) aircraft like the Piper Arrow, and it's available for 6 seaters like the Cherokee 6, but it's not available for complex 6 seaters like the Piper Lance (or Bonanza, or Cessna 206, etc). When this started, our first thought was "ok, they drew this arbitrary line in the sand. What happens when their profits still don't rise the way they want - do they stop insuring complex 4 seaters, or non-complex 6 seaters, or both, or what?" It's been two years, and so far they haven't moved the line. The weird thing is that club type insurance (ie without a named pilot policy so that anybody in the club can fly it) is available for complex (ie. retractable landing gear) aircraft like the Piper Arrow, and it’s available for 6 seaters like the Cherokee 6, but it’s not available for complex 6 seaters like the Piper Lance (or Bonanza, or Cessna 206, etc).

When this started, our first thought was “ok, they drew this arbitrary line in the sand. What happens when their profits still don’t rise the way they want - do they stop insuring complex 4 seaters, or non-complex 6 seaters, or both, or what?” It’s been two years, and so far they haven’t moved the line.

]]> By: metaphorical http://blog.xcski.com/2007/05/22/flying-is-about-to-get-a-lot-more-expensive#comment-25251 metaphorical Wed, 23 May 2007 10:53:09 +0000 http://blog.xcski.com/2007/05/22/flying-is-about-to-get-a-lot-more-expensive#comment-25251 It's a hobby whose risks aren't generally understood correctly; because the overall numbers are low, insurance companies aren't motivated to assess the risks accurately because it costs money (the assessment, that is). Even though rock climbing is a very different hobby (e.g., our most expensive piece of equipment, the rope, is about $200), it has some of the same issues, for the same reasons. It’s a hobby whose risks aren’t generally understood correctly; because the overall numbers are low, insurance companies aren’t motivated to assess the risks accurately because it costs money (the assessment, that is).

Even though rock climbing is a very different hobby (e.g., our most expensive piece of equipment, the rope, is about $200), it has some of the same issues, for the same reasons.

]]> By: Mark http://blog.xcski.com/2007/05/22/flying-is-about-to-get-a-lot-more-expensive#comment-25146 Mark Tue, 22 May 2007 15:28:10 +0000 http://blog.xcski.com/2007/05/22/flying-is-about-to-get-a-lot-more-expensive#comment-25146 It will be interesting to see where for-pleasure GA is in 10 or 15 years if the current trends continue. I don't think it's going to be pretty. It will be interesting to see where for-pleasure GA is in 10 or 15 years if the current trends continue.

I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.

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