What matters most?
Giving myself the shakes and sweats.
'cause that means I'm having fun.
Example: yesterday afternoon, cruising towers a bish airfield in my glorious Yak-7b at about 4k. Red icons above me, 2 spit-16's and a p-39q about Co-alt... Ruh roh, Raggy, here they come. Spitfires dropped in as I engaged the 39. Seemed like an eternity, probably only lasted 3 or 4 minutes, if that... All 4 of us on the deck.... Then 3, then 2, then just one...
The flight back to my field lasted maybe 10 minutes. I don't think my hands quit shaking the entire way.
THAT, to me, is what it's all about. I don't live through many of those, but that doesn't matter so much...as long as it gets the heart rate up....