I will say costs definitly plays a major part, especially for young people. Back in '79 when I learned to fly, a C-150 was renting for $19.?? an hour wet and a 172 was around $25 an hour wet. I was a teenager making $7.60 an hour as a stockboy in the grocery store and paid for my PPL and instrument in cash. That's a bit over two hours work for an hour of flight time...plus instructor. How many hours of work would a young person have to do in a job like that to get an hour flight time now?

A vehicle also takes up much more income these days and that is necessary for anyone. That same $7.60 an hour I made also paid for my vehicle, gas and insurance. Wouldn't happen now.

Back in my CFI days there were those who would inquire about flying lessons and a small percentage were never seen again. I'm sure that percentage is much, much higher these days when they find out the minimums required for a regular license and see a plane goes for a bit under $100 an hour. They can spend a grand for a good mountain bike and get their rocks off for years doing crazy crap or get a motocross bike and do loops with that and be out the backdoor doing it.