Nice post Mike,
I too am surprised at how as a nation generally we passionately support our own corners whilst also having a need to pigeon hole or 'name' something or someone who is different.
In aviation this manifests itself horrendously with bloody minded spats between the PFA and the BMAA and between supporters of Permit Vs Cof A aircraft. It is almost laughable really and we probably would laugh if the displayed mentality was clothed in an 'Irish' joke.
For goodness sake man has dreamed of flying like a bird as long as mankind has existed - for millions of years - and it is only in the last hundred years that this dream has been realised. Even now precious few of us fly and we ought to be grateful to have the privilige to do so. Why are we not bound together to maintain our flying priviliges? Why are we not accepting of others rights to fly in the way that suits them? Why are we not grateful that technology has advanced to such a degree that ultra light weight aircraft can now achieve the same performance at a fraction of the cost than forty years ago? Why do we not all join together and celebrate the joy of being able to fly in whatever manner is of our own choosing? Why are we not pooling our combined voices and talents to stop the CAA from regulating the owner/pilots out of existance in the same way that the manufacturing industry was regulated out of existance.
just a little off topic rant - sorry.