> That said, DEC apparently kept this helicopter thing running right up to the 1990s, through a couple of oil shocks and the invention of the EPA, so… not sure

> That said, DEC apparently kept this helicopter thing running right up to the 1990s, through a couple of oil shocks and the invention of the EPA, so… not sure it remained that cheap to run. "First hit's free!" was clearly the oil industry's strategy. Everyone became addicted to the mobility enabled by combustion engines. It's an addiction we're still struggling with to this day, despite the costs.