Here's another measure:
Median home price October 1982 --> $69,700k
Median home price October 2011 --> $212,300
I'm not sure the lawyers deserve all the blame (and no, I am not a lawyer). The FAA is part of the problem too. A manufacturer can buy insurance to manage the litigation risk, but managing the certification risk is not so easy.
Today's requirements for certification and production are more time consuming and labor intensive than ever. This drives up the non-recurring and recurring costs as engineers spend hundreds and thousands of hours working on reports, analysis and tests.
Higher costs means higher prices, and ultimately it means fewer aircraft owners and pilots, which further drives up aircraft prices.
I am optimistic that the FAA's current part 23 rule making review will directly take on these challenges and implement meaningful rule changes that reduce the cost of certification while improving safety. If we can make flying an airplane as safe and easy as driving a car, and as affordable as owning a home, I think we would be amazed by how many people would take up flying.
Peter
82 M20k 231