Bear Cub
You really are showing your ignorance. Precisely what goal posts have changed? The Night Qualification is exactly as it was proposed in 1997. Any rip off in training is surely due to training providers who do not either have a copy of JAR-FCL or who do bother to read it or associated AICs. Most of the items listed on the CAA Web Site are there to clarify missconceptions, not to signify changes in requirements.
All of the JAR-FCL PPL material was proposed by AOPA, hence the close adherence to the AOPA syllabus. The Night Qualification was also originally proposed by AOPA to be 5 hours in addition to the 45 hour PPL Course. When the JAR-FCL1 document was published in 1996 it stated:
45 hours experience in aeroplanes including
25 hours dual instruction;
10 hours supervised solo;
leaving 10 hours that can be any flying including experience on gliders helicopters etc. The night qualification (JAR-FCL 1.125c) is an additional 5 hours, but JAR-FCL1 fails to say what it is additional to. Therefore, there is nothing in JAR-FCL1 to prohibit the night qualification from forming part of the 10 hours of unspecified or "other" flying. Only 35 hours of mandatory training is specified. JAR-FCL1 states that all training shall be completed prior to taking the Skill Test. Again, there is nothing to prohibit the test being conducted on completion of the specified minimum training (35 hours). A total of 45 hours experience is required for licence issue.
The removal of the 4 hours IF requirement for UK PPL issue was notified in AIC 82/98 White 319 issued on 14 July 1998 para 3.2.
There have been no changes to these requirements since 1998. The recent policy statement issued by the JAA with regard to the conversion of foreign IR's is an initial statement of policy on licence conversion, prior to that, there was no common JAA policy, just a lot of assumptions. It is not a change made by the CAA as you claim.
As an aside, AOPA held a meeting with Industry to discuss the NPPL on Friday 9 Feb. Only Corporate Members were invited. Another wonderful piece of industry involvement in a very topical subject.
[This message has been edited by Noggin (edited 11 February 2001).]