[serial_dev]

> but I'm not super excited about the idea of lowering the barrier to entry for GA on a foundational skill basis. Like the light-sport rating, it encourages more people to be in the (already congested) airspace system who haven't really gained all the other skills necessary or experience to be there

By that logic, shouldn't we make driving cars as dangerous, complicated, inaccesible, and confusing as possible?

[bambax]

Depends... Is it a good thing for the world that there are so many cars everywhere?

[dbt00]

Only manual transmissions would really cut down on texting and driving.

[bluGill]

I doubt it. I drive a manual and find that I spend very little time shifting. Each time I shift it would cost me the time to write one word (I'm guessing - for obvious reasons I'm not about to try this to see). The vast majority of the time I'm not doing anything different than when I drive an automatic.

[kbar13]

its pretty easy to drive a car. press pedal car go vroom turn wheel car go right

not the same for flying a plane

[Dyac]

But presumably you're talking about a modern automatic car?

What about a manual car, where you need more understanding of the mechanics, and will stall or roll back on a hill if you don't? Or a manual car without synchromesh, where you have to double de-clutch to match the input and output shaft RPMs? Or a car without antilock brakes? Or without tire pressure sensors? Or automatic headlights? Or automatic wipers? Or lane assist? Or auto braking? Or cruise control? Or indicator blinkers that auto cancel? Or auto dimming headlights? Or warning messages that tell you about everything from seat belts to service warnings or blown bulbs?

All these are driver safety and convenience innovations that people take for granted so it is as simple as "press pedal car go vroom"...

Also, think about drones and model planes. With computer aided support they now have full autopilot, return to base, auto land etc. and can be operated by a kid! Why can't some of these types of support, safety and convenience make it over to light aircraft?

[bluGill]

Most of the time none of those are doing anything. Shifting a manual is a minority of time, non-synchromesh makes shifting harder but it doesn't add much time. Most of the time when you stop the anti-lock brakes don't kick in and so again you lose nothing. TMPS makes your care safer if you have a lot tire - but tires these days are good enough that they rarely go flat. Same with the others - they are rarely used - not useless but only small factors taken all together - I've driven without each from time to time.