A little over a year ago, I was participating in one of those much-loved "how to manage people" training courses, which covered the technique of "coaching". I got teamed with the course instructor, as part of the "how to do it bit". She asked, "What do you think you will do when you retire?" and I said, "I would like to get my PPL back". She replied, "did you know your face lit up when you said that?" Then she asked "what do you like about it?"
Which brings us back to Whirly's question.
I said it was the "precision", and being able to do something not many others can do. But it's also a bit more than that. Its being "professional" at something, not in the monetary sense, but in the sense of competency. Putting an aeroplane where it's supposed to be, at the right place and the right time, in the right configuration. Doing it with consummate skill and grace. And then there's the sheer joy of not being ground-bound.
So, rather than wait until I retired (not so long now), I figured it would be much more sensible to do it straight away. Now, a little over a year later, with PPL in hand I am trying to do all those things with consummate skill and grace - and its bl**dy difficult!
But it's enormous fun trying.