Is GA dying or thriving, with Tom Charpentier

Is GA dying or thriving, with Tom Charpentier

From Pilot's Discretion from Sporty's by Sporty's Pilot Shop

May 19, 2026 · 41 min · Season 1 · Episode 130

About this episode

Tom Charpentier discusses the current state of general aviation, highlighting positive trends and potential challenges.

More new pilots, more flying hours, and fewer accidents—that’s the positive picture EAA’s Tom Charpentier sees when he looks at the latest FAA numbers. He shares how to be an optimist about aviation, why the 1970s are not a fair comparison, and what issues could disrupt the current growth cycle. Tom is deeply involved in EAA’s regulatory work, and he explains the importance of FAA orders and what to expect from MOSAIC. In the Ready to Copy segment, Tom talks about his favorite part of AirVenture, flying the Cessna 170, and wilderness canoeing. SHOW LINKS: * EAA Green Dot podcast: https://www.eaa.org/eaa/news-and-publications/eaa-news-and-aviation-news/eaa-the-green-dot-podcast * Article: “How Safe Is It?” https://inspire.eaa.org/2017/05/11/how-safe-is-it/ * PJ2 GPS Radio: https://sportys.com/PJ2GPS

People in this episode

Guest: Tom Charpentier

Topics covered

  • general aviation
  • pilot training
  • aviation safety
  • EAA
  • FAA regulations
  • growth in aviation

Keywords

  • general aviation
  • EAA
  • FAA
  • aviation growth
  • pilot training
  • safety statistics
  • Cessna 170

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: EAA, FAA

Products: Cessna 170

Books & works: How Safe Is It?

More episodes of Pilot's Discretion from Sporty's

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Pilot's Discretion from Sporty's podcast page.