"Be thankful we're not getting all the [FAA] we're paying for." -Will Rogers

[DJTorrente]

I'd hate for this to get lost on the tail end of a 20-page discussion. The "overregulation" theme that was a big part of the FlyteNow thread made me think of the title quote. It is crystalized in this comment from the DCPilots group:

If the FAA's appropriation (staffing levels), or the general aviation portions of it, were tied directly to the number of hours flown they would have an entirely different outlook on promotion of flight.