Sunfish,
In the USA independent flying instructors train over 70% of all pilots. No AOC required because all the syllabuses and standards are readily available, written in plain english and the ONUS and liability placed on the individual instructor to complete those syllabi and ensure the required standards are reached.
The paradox in all this if American pilots are so poorly trained would it not be beholden for CAsA to prohibit them from operating to Australia, "Safe Skies for all" is their mantra. Or does that only apply when it suits?
Glen himself has stated his AOC cost $700,000 dollars to obtain, I don't know how long that took, but I do know of a company that spent $250,000 for a charter AOC which took two years to obtain. The same AOC in New Zealand could be obtained in a couple of months for less than twenty grand. If it cost Glen that amount for a flying school AOC what would an RPT AOC cost?
It is a fact that Glens business model only works because of CAsA's amateurish, inane regulations and the massive costs it places on industry and good on him for seeing an opportunity and devising a sensible way to share the costs burden. What I find unconscionable is CAsA leading him up the garden path knowing he was expending his capital, then pulling the rug out from under him by devious and underhanded tactics. That is just diabolically unethical.