Aero-News: Quote of the Day

ANN's Quote of the Day usually derives from current news, though we reserve the right to pick quotes out of history that have a bearing on the day's events and issues.

Sometimes, you'll find them timely and in keeping with the content of the day's news... and sometimes, they'll just be thought-provoking.

Reader suggestions and comments are welcome... and if particularly intriguing, timely, or poignant, may themselves become future Quotes of the Day.

Let us hear from you, folks!

Aero-News Quote of the Day

"To start with, these things are EX-pensive. What happened to the idea of "affordable flying?" I've looked at the planes Dad digs, from the Sting to the Mermaid to the Flight Designs CT (above). The price of entry is EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. That's affordable compared to what -- a Cirrus? For eighty grand you can buy two Cessna 172s or about 1 2/3 Piper Warriors used... of course, you can't fly them with the Sport license, but we're talking a larger plane with a proven safety record. I mean, if these things are built like a set of wax wings they ought to be priced that way, too."

Source: The legendary Icarus, of Greek mythology (seriously), as channelled by ANN's own Kevin "Hognose" O'Brien, on the ages-old dichotomy of the Light Sport Aircraft choices available so far: they're lightweight, economical, and supposedly assembled with far fewer components than heavier aircraft -- so why are the things still so blasted expensive?

FMI: www.lightsportaircraft.com, www.bulfinch.org (For More On Mythology), 2005 Year-in-Review Comments?