
Statistically speaking flying (even General Aviation) is pretty darn safe to life, limb, and property (AOPA has some nice statistics here) however it does pose a significant risk to your wallet. Flying is of course not a cheap hobby to have in the first place but it is all the ancillary costs that you don't factor in. Yes, you DO need that $1100 headset, yes you DO need that 'I fly' doormat you saw in the latest catalog that randomly showed up at your house because the FAA publishes certificate holder information publicly, and YES, you do need to get in the big sky buses to go to various aviation related events in all parts of the globe. Flying isn't a drug or an addiction, flying is something that was always there in your blood that you woke up and now that it is awake it is no longer something you can ignore.
I didn't get to go to Oshkosh this year but I am making up for it by attending The AOPA Summit in Long Beach, CA in a couple weeks. In the mean time I am hoping the weather will cooperate and I will end up getting 2 or 3 more hours of flight time in before I leave. Some take-off and landing work would be excellent...