There’s what I think is a very balanced and fair introspective here on Avweb about this:
http://www.avweb.com/blogs/insider/USA-Todays-GA-Indictment-222192-1.html
afraid of the truth
Which truth? Truth is, there are very many truths in general aviation – as in most other domains of life, and especially in leisure activity i.e. non-essential to life.
What’s wrong with the good old Cub fuel gauge?
Nothing at all, my own pride and beauty uses the same technology for that purpose and it has never failed as yet. One must learn to interpret the indication, however.
an hourglass for timekeeping, hot air for lift and a bobweight for straight and level
If they meet the mission requirements, why not? Any thing claiming to be better may perhaps be in one way, but will certainly be worse in another. Reliability and cost are two common other ways. Continued support is another.
There’s what I think is a very balanced and fair introspective here on Avweb about this:
AVweb is a voice of reason in many things, while AOPA is more of what we do not need.
Very well put, Jan.
The point to me is having the freedom to own and fly within rules that say what I can’t do, not being in somebody else’s spotlight that’s attempting to force me to do it their way. Aircraft are happily one of the last places where that is generally the case, at least where I own and fly them, and including Experimental Category. It’s long gone in most other aspects of life like new cars and even new motorcycles now, which are subject to endless government intervention, ‘add ons’ and general crappola in their design. Aircraft are more fun by comparison and that’s why I choose light aircraft as a place to spend my time, money and energy 
Aircraft are more fun…
Maybe for some, and why not? But fun and safety do not by definition exclude each other – so if there are known problems, technical or training related, they should be adressed. People who can only have fun with aeroplanes if they willingly risk their life when flying have no place in the public airspace. At least that’s what I think.
That’s why you buy insurance in a market that recognizes light aircraft as presenting almost no risk to anybody but participants in the insured aircraft. I pay $1100 USD per year for two aircraft for that reason, about the same as for one 275 HP car.
That said, I’m happy never to have made any insurance claim from any vehicle policy I’ve ever bought, and never to have injured myself or anybody else with any vehicle. As well as aircraft and cars that includes riding fast motorcycles (without ABS, shock, horror!) for about 700,000 kilometers in God knows how many countries. So the insurance cost has for the last 35 years at least been 100% profit for my insurance companies. I’ll be aiming for it to stay that way, through the continued use of my own choices, actions, and expenditures.
A little story, somewhat related:
I just spent a couple of days in the Arcachon area in France. At the airfield, there is an outfit that rents out classic “2CV” cars, mid-seventies vintage, as a “nostalgic fun experience”. So I rented one.
When I took it through its paces I though to myself “boy, this actually handles, feels, sounds and smells pretty much exactly like the typical 1975 Cessna 172 that I occasionally fly”!
The difference though: these cars are only used as “toys” nowadays, whereas aircraft of the same vintage are still being used “seriously”, day in day out as if that were normal… 
Next adventure – rent a Trabbi. 2-stroke engine, simple, reliable, never breaks down. Can be overhauled ad aeternam. Just like a plane it can run into a solid object only once.
Yep, and had you driven a mid 70s Ferrari or Lamborghini you might have been reminded of today’s RV and other high performance homebuilts, the aircraft being built and flown in volume today. My experience says both are more fun (to me) than a boooooring new BMW or Lexus.
I spend my money where the fun is!
Excellent. The most promising segment of the hot rod airplane market is where hot rod cars were 50 years ago.
Only further stregthens the point.
Who compares a Lamborghini to a Lexus anyway?!
