When I read this forum it seems to me that most members own their aircraft. Some may be group members, and a few fly in clubs or rent aircraft in FBOs. Just out of curiosity, would it be possible to create an anonymous poll to know how many of us fly in rented aircraft (FBOs or aeroclubs), belong to owner groups, or simply fly in their own aircraft? (And other categories I have not thought of)?
Why does it have to be anonymous?
It does not have to be anonymous but the result would then be a percentage giving a better idea of the forum population, instead of a list of posts of each one saying in which category he belongs.
Same thing could be done as to how many of us are commercial, airline or military pilots, how many of us are Instrument rated...
Indeed, it seems to me that the forum members mainly belong to the upper end of the european GA private pilots population. I'm quite sure that the percentage of IR pilots here is much higher than in the GA pilots population.
This makes in my opinion for an interesting forum to read, where an average pilot like myself can learn from more experienced pilots.
I own my own Piper Archer. It's my seventh airplane in 25 years. I just wouldn't be able to fit into a syndicate. I tend to fly somewhere for the weekend or fly at late notice so sole ownership works for me. Plus I simply like to have a plane thats mine.
I don't fly my own aircraft, I swing the wrenches on it. I am so busy improving it and fixing things that I don't have any time left to fly it 
It's more therapy for me, being an office worker that stares into a computer screen 14h a day and never moves anything but the fingers on the keyboard.
(And other categories I have not thought of)
I can add the following three categories, all of which I belong to:
I fly my own aircraft, a Cirrus SR22-G2 and (I know it sounds strange :-)) even own a second one, a Piper Warrior. Since I could not simply "sell" "grandpa's old airplane" (my kids would not let me :-))... I decided to keep it and give it to a friend who just does his PPL. He has to pay for Maintenance, Insurance and Hangar and for that he can fly it as long as he wants. ...
If the ownership of the Cirrus gets too expensive I will sell it in three or four years and maybe even quit flying altogether. We'll see.
I don't fly my own aircraft, I swing the wrenches on it. I am so busy improving it and fixing things that I don't have any time left to fly it
That's not unfamiliar! I own two aircraft and will own they, or their replacements, until I fade away some day. Aircraft sole ownership is how you know you're doing the right things in life, a joy not a burden.
My wife and I own a Beech F33A, simply because we fell in love with it and couldn't resist the temptation when it got sold by our flying school. My wife flies at good weather (PPL) and I have to fly when the weather turns bad (IFR). It is our first plane and I suppose it will stay that way for many years to come.
I fly a 1965 Mooney M20C. It's my second owned airplane after owning a C150 earlier in life (about 30 kgs ago). Reason for owning instead of renting is that I wish to do longer trips which with rental planes would be a) too expensive and b) most rental organisations won't let you do them. I am not a fan of syndicates, but I do let some other pilots fly on my plane to help paying for the bills and to get a decent useage.
