Number of aircraft on RA-Aus register

January 14, 2010: Number of aircraft on RA-Aus register

The recent economic conditions seem to have slowed new registrations and affected registration renewals. There were 350 new registrations in 2006, 342 in 2007, 315 in 2008 and 247 in 2009; while registration cancellations in 2009 jumped to 183 aircraft.

Consequently, the number of aircraft on the register increased by only 2% during 2009 — the number of new registrations largely offset by aircraft dropping off the register, see table 2.

Over the last 3.5 years there has been a 10 percentage-point shift away from home-builts (now 43% of total aircraft) towards increasingly complex factory-built aircraft. This has resulted in a substantial increase in the market value of the RA-Aus flight line — currently estimated at $102 million; (see table 4). In the factory-built category, powered 'chutes and trikes are maintaining — if not expanding — their popularity amongst association members.

Categoryprefix

Civil Aviation Order& paragraph

Number & % of totalat December 21, 2009

% of total atDecember 31, 2007

% of total atJune, 2006

10-

CAO 95.10

250 – 8.5%

12%

13%

19-

CAO 95.55 para 1.5 & 1.9

926 – 31%

32%

35%

28-

CAO 95.55 para 1.2

104 – 3.5%

4%

5%

Total home-built

1280 – 43%

48%

53%

32-

CAO 95.32 trikes & 'chutes

433 – 15%

14%

12%

24-

CAO 95.55 para 1.6 & 1.8

741 – 25%

18%

12%

25-

CAO 95.55 para 1.4

290 – 10%

11%

10%

55-

CAO 95.55 para 1.3

211 – 7%

8%

10%

Total factory-built

1675 – 57%

52%

47%

Total on register

2955

... JB

So..............

What's happening with the aircraft that drop off?

Just sitting in the shed/hanger collecting dust? or what?

regards

No sorry I don't have the actual pilot numbers - these figures are from John Brandon and it is interesting to see the number of 19 reg aircraft is not keeping up with the growth of our industry

19-.... numbers.

That is a significant observation Ian. Building your own aircraft is not so common within RAAus. I have looked for others who are doing it for years and have gone to SAAA who are very much into building their aircraft. It doesn't appear to be very much on our radar. What are other's observations/opinions? Nev

How many are building with SAAA? I have joined them to build an RV4, but I doubt that there are more builders there than with RAAus.

The fact that owner built numbers are declining in percentage points up the fact that Australians have plenty of money, even if most of it is repayable to the banks. Otherwise how could they afford all those factory built plastic fantastics?

Solution to That.

Ian I don't know of any, (in RAAus). I don't count building a "KIT" Jab as being of much interest to other builders (exc. Jabs) where it is a question of finish/fits/rigging and weight.

We could do a "Poll" perhaps.

SAAA specialise in building. I am happy for people to contact me IF they are building (or thinking of it) but so far NOthing. There are heaps of visits to sheds with SAAA. I reckon that it is more a question of what skills and expectations MOST of the RAAus people have. Different market? We have a lot of younger people here. That is a healthy sign in the long run.... Nev

We have a culture of instant gratification and i guess that is taking away the desire to 'scratch build' as they did in the old days. Such a pity really as this will inevitably, lead to lost skills, especially with wood.

I've just come across a pile of Oak floor slats (ex bascketball court) and am dithering as to wheather I should go get a trailer load for a future build, or not. Most appear to be between 4 and 5 feet long. Lots of nails to be removed though.

Sounds like a bunch of old salts, propping up the teak reef and bemoaning the fact that no-one builds "proper" wooden boats anymore! The experience in most countries has been that there are builders and there are flyers with only some degree of overlap in the middle. The situation was skewed in earlier years by the fact that unless you built it yourself, you were unlikely to be able to fly, however the current availability of factory builds and a relative wealth of second hand alternatives has drawn many more people in, all to the long term good of flying I believe.

Forgive me getting a little hot under the collar about this, but it is frankly offensive to write off anyone who doesn't roll their own as "having a culture of instant gratification" and looking down your nose at someone "merely" assembling a Jabiru kit.

My own situation is such that having essentially started over at forty, I am eternally grateful that I have enough spare money and time a few years on, to be able to fit some flying in between a demanding job, a young family and a home renovation.

I probably have sufficient of the relevant skills to be able to build a well engineered kit like an RV or similar, but much as I admire those who do follow this course and enjoy seeing the product of their labour, for me to do that would mean that something else has to give and that isn't an option right now.

Gee I feel better now!

Woa Boyo, steady on there. I wasn't having a go at, and am definately not 'looking down my nose' at anyone. All I'm saying is that by buying a kit and assembling it, or buying a complete a/c, new or used, is a lot less of an adventure/challenge than designing and building something yourself (aka our roots). Now you, and a high percentage of younger folk, may well have suffucient income to be able to pursue the fast plastic fantastic, or the shiny, all alluminium speed machine, but a lot of older folks, are not in that position. I only have my pension to live on and I still have a mortgage to pay so my flying has to be done on the cheap so to say. I still have my dream of one-day building/owning my own plane but I'll have to wait and see what fate has in store for me.

BTW, I 'started over' at forty as well following a divorce, redundency and emigration, followed by yet more redundency. I'm not bemoaning 'my lot', nor am I envious of those who have, but I do, let's say regret, the passing of an era where people with the urge to fly, got off their backsides and made it happen with what was to hand.

Read my post.

I'm not looking down my nose and I didn't use the word "merely". I stated what I believe to be a fact and I'm not knocking Jabiru's either. There are some pretty sensitive people around. I will always answer for what I write but not what interpretations some read into it. I mean what I write, no more and no less. Nev

Come gents, we are rather missing the point of this thread - each to his own.