"Anno v. Heimburg" wrote in message
...

Help out a non-native english speaker here, but that question seems to
imply
that "hobby pilot" is somehow an insult. To me, "recreational activity in
which I regularly engage" is just a verbose way of saying "hobby",
so "hobby pilot" and "recreational pilot" are synonymous. (I would even
argue that "hobby" implies a certain frequency, while "recreational" just
means a one-off thing). Certainly, "hobby" to me has no negative
connotations.

The literal meaning of 'hobby' is just as you say, and is not disparaging.
However, words such as 'hobbyist' or 'amateur' are sometimes used to suggest
a superficial level of competence, in contrast with the presumed expertise
of a 'professional'. People may become defensive about that connotation.

--Gary