I0540, your division of the PPL world into two groups seems a little rigid, especially as your group A appears to be shorthand for "all those ppls whose interests in flying are not the same as my own" (and who are, by implication, therefore clueless numpties). It is possible with a little thought to travel to interesting places without instrument qualifications or a GPS. I have somehow blundered my way to tiny airfields in the middle of nowhere in featureless parts of France using DR and/or VOR/DME navigation (but mainly DR), but I suppose I was just lucky, and probably ought to turn myself in to the nearest available CAA rep as a menace to aviation.
Instrument flying, and doing lots of touring in kitted-up machines, are great aspects of our hobby, but they aren't for everyone, and GrassStrip may not yet have decided which variant(s) of GA flying he or she is most interested in. I like travelling to interesting places, but am mainly interested in exploring the handling of aeroplanes, so I do a lot of local flights during which I look upwards in order to see the ground, or try out different variants of cranky old aeroplane. I haven't yet ruled out getting an IMC, for all of the good reasons often discussed here, but know that I have no interest in doing for fun, on my own and for nothing what most instrument pilots do in pairs and for money. I'm not knocking anyone who wants to do that, hoorah for choice, but which of your classes does this put me into?
PS: is visual navigation really that hard, if you've been taught it properly? I'm not saying that it doesn't require careful planning and concentration, but if you fly from point A on accurate heading X at accurate speed Y for accurately timed minutes Z, checking for errors and drift as you go, then you will, repeat will be at desired point B. If you're planning a trip over the Sahara, prudence dictates the use of all available aids, but in the UK at least it is usually possible to choose as turning points features that will have sufficient lead-ins or confirmatory features to ensure correct identification, and selecting such features is part of intelligent route planning.
One of the great things about flying in general is that it's something you can, if you choose, at least sometimes do all by yourself, entirely free of outside agencies and influences. Whether travelling on foot in the mountains, under sail on the ocean, or on wings in the air, figuring out where you are using traditional skills which emphasise planning and self reliance is in my opinion simply more fun than being told where you are by a piece of space furniture whizzing around the planet. If you've got the GPS in your pocket in case you get into trouble, that's great, but it can also be great if it turns out that you don't need it.
Last edited by FNG; 5th Dec 2003 at 23:49.