ORIGINAL: TimBle
oh dear, I must have stuck a nerve.
I know I promised youlanding lessons but there no need to get nasty. Would you like landing lessons? I only charge $10 per lesson. I have gaps next weekend.
You came back four hours after your first reply to write this? Yeah, someone struck a nerve, apparently...
Like I said, you're clearly an enthusiastic guy about the hobby. Like some other newbies, you want to dive in and learn. You also seem to have a real need to belong to some group or another. You've done yourself a disservice by latching onto a brand. Brand loyalty serves only manufacturers, not consumers. I've got gear from all the major manufacturers and plenty of smaller brand stuff. You miss out on a lot of great products when you force yourself into a corner. You also don't come off the way you perhaps think you do when you write, too.
Part of the joy of this hobby is the amazing diversity of products that are available to us. No one brand or distributor has a lock on making the best products. If you want the best, you really do have to mix and match. If you start to familiarize yourself with more gear, you'll figure that out. You'll also have more to contribute, both here and with the people who no doubt enjoy your company at your field.