AOC
No, of course the CAA are not an enemy.
However an AOC Inspector is not appropiate. The CAA already have Standards Inspectors for Training schools who, already, may inspect registered flying schools, if they so wish. So far they have chosen not to do so on a regular basis. No doubt because the system is working quite well.
Approved Courses are of course inspected annually. No problem with that. The FCL guys are often constructive when they do visit and are the right ones for the job.
I think it a rather odd concept; because maybe a large number of 'Trial flights' do not continue, that they should be re-catagoriesed as 'Pleasure Flights', which they are not. Instructors giving a one off but proper flying lesson is a wonderful advertisement to the whole industry. As you have already said, extremely safely too. Not the same can be said of the A to A, AOC world. And, the big question, how does one distinguish between a one off lesson and the first of many? None of us have a crystal ball.
Fire and evactuation drills are part of the PPL syllabus. A good CFI already maintains standards and continuity for the students. Until very recently, as you know, AFI's were checked annually and FI's biannually until JAR. The Instustry didn't ask for the change, it was revised to the present unsatisfactory mess by the JAA with agreement with the CAA.
As for working hours. No one has forced me to do anything other than what I thought was reasonable. I know of no other regular Instructors who will tolerate long hours yet alone seven days. Hour builders are a different matter. The so called 'career' Instructor Vs the 'hour builder' debate has continued within other threads. Don't bite the hand that provides you work, show some charactor in setting your own working hours. My Instructors do. Sirs means of controlling you isn't as sweet as it sounds. It is your Log Book that they will want to see. It is you that the Ops. Isp. will hold responsible.