I suppose people admire him, cause the CAA is just nowadays seen as the third Reich with so many super strict pointless laws, with absoloutly no leeway that seems to be aimed at the prevention of aviation, (General Aviation and Commercial)
So when any anti authority figure who goes out and has a bit of harmless fun (100 feet as opposed to 35 feet in Germany I think)by bending a few rules and gets away with, will now seen as some type of Steve Mcqueen type character, and the CAA can just ram it up there arse (Until he is caught of course, then he is screwed!)!!