Reading through your last post AN2 Driver I find myself constantly nodding in agreement with all of your points.
Thanks Captain
Yes I admit I am comfortable at the moment and appreciate what I have got, but I work for it and that' my business, no-one elses.
Absolutely.
Non-aviation folks baulk at the hourly cost of rental. Fair enough I think we all do. But then I ask them what they spend per month on their shiny new Mondeo/Insignia/Megane/whatever other ugly modern twatmobile they've just bought, or how much they spend/waste going out on the sauce every Saturday night, or how much they spend on designer clothes etc. Suddenly sense is seen and they realise that in the grand scheme of things it isn't actually that unaffordable compared with everything else, and that Smithy isn't some elite yuppie with an elite hobby.
VERY true. Apart, I have started to make some useful calcs such as to the gas mileage of my aircraft plus the costs compared to scheduled services or vs the car for certain of my most used routes and that does get their attention too. I did manage to actually shut up a totally obnoxious green campaigner the other day by proving to him that it was more ecological by any measure to do my monthly business trip to a city about 150 NM air distance but 300 NM ground distance by my small aircraft rather than either take a schedule (which is more expensive if booked as a daytrip) or by car, which uses more fuel on that route due to the distance and the time involved. Unless the argument is that travel in itself is evil, then if you calculate it correctly, that is all costs up, you find often enough that flying is the most economical way of transport.
it isn't anyone else's business to judge what I get up to in my spare time with my earnings and if someone doesn't like it because of whatever bigoted reasons then that says more about them and their state of mind than anything else...
It does say a lot about society too these days. I keep noticing that the "beancounter" attitude which has infested large parts of the business world to the extent that innovation and progress have largely disappeared in many companies, has found it's way into every day life. I keep seeing people here who live like they will go bancrupt every day, but if you take a closer look, it is them who have the large bank deposits stashed away. Do they enjoy it? Heck no, they are so pre-occupied with being worried that someone will take it away from them that they make Scrooge McDuck look like a positive big spender. Anyone enjoying life, which is hard enough these days even without those bundle of joy's, is suspect, a waster and someone who needs re-education. Misers are often regarded as role models, not as the negative beings they are. Whenever greed and envy become a way of life, things go downhill fast. Unfortunately, today's society has become very green, the traditional colour of envy.
Best regards
An2 Driver