I would object to that too... if it applied to true ultralight hikers, which was the focus of the magazine article. Look through the real-life threads here at ETS where people got into trouble and needed a rescue. Were the victims ultralighters? None that I have read.

I disagree w/ not taking a map, etc too but if you're going to complain about tax dollars, show me a real ultralighter who cost you some tax dollars, not a know-nothing tourist who hadn't a clue about anything (i.e. James Kim).

This reminds me of how so many uninformed people blame "climbers" in Yosemite for SAR costs. The vast, vast majority of SAR cases there are hapless tourists & hikers, not technical climbers.