RE the 45% pass rate. I believe it was about this a couple of years ago and the anecdotal information I heard from colleagues who did the IR would support that.
What I don't understand is if the pass rate is so consistently low is there not a mismatch between what is taught and what is expected.
The IR is hard and its certainly a stage of flying beyond VFR but first time passes ought to be more like 80-90%if the examiners and schools are liasing with each other. Otherwise why are the schools handing out the 1179's. If the 50 hour course isn't long enough or has the wrong mix of single/twin/sim time in it then the schools should do something.
Everyone knows few people do the PPL in 45 hours and most shcools are quite honest about pointing this out and saying 60-70 is the more likely average. Should the commercial schools not do the same about the IR?