Well $250 is not a lot if you plan on renting many hours (like your working on a license or a rating). On the other hand, if your just looking to do a modest amount of renting, the additional cost, per hour, is significant. I also find the same rate fits all business out of line with normal insurance practices. My daughter cost more to me to insure on my auto insurance because of her youth and experience. Thats understandable and the logic of cost vs risk is fair. Why should I, a professional aviator, only wishing to rent a modest amount of hours pay the same yearly fee as a rookie working on his PPL and putting himself (from an insures point of view) at much greater risk due to the amount of hours he/she is flying (per year)?
The result is either I will bite my tongue and play (pay?
) the game or take my time and money somewhere else. I would guess many people don't "play" who otherwise might because of this additional cost to an already expensive pastime.
The GA industry doesn't have so many people lining up to learn and rent that it can afford to give anyone who otherwise could be spending money at the local airport a reason to go elsewhere.