I have to say that this sort of thing is one reason why it would be virtually impossible for the CAA to support any proposals suggesting that NPPL training could be conducted on non-Transport (Passenger) category aircraft. It wouldn't be difficult to imagine that someone, having noticed a fuel pump was of automotive origin, went out and bought one from Halfords' - or the local scrappie - and then fitted it himself......
One of my aircraft was bought from a source in Wales (although I made them do an Annual first!) and was allegedly on a Transport (Passenger) CofA. Since we've had it I've had to spend thousands of pounds sorting out some of the earlier botch ups which kept coming to light. It had a 15 kt IAS error due to a snagged pitot-static line, various avionic wiring faults which were the result of dismally poor installation by a previous owner........ but a lovely engine and she flies nicely! It's going to cost another £7500 to get the FM-immunity mods done in the excellent local radio shop in a couple of weeks' time, but the funds are there thankfully! Incidentally, the reason I bought it was to replace another PA28 which we leased off a private owner; a number of times I'd seen him with a bag of spanners and the cowls off working on the engine. Although he hed appropriate FAA tickets, he was NOT licensed by the CAA, so he'd do his own maintenance and then fly over to a nearby 'mate' who did hold CAA licenses and get him to sign off the work. But we got fed up with the state of the ac and finally it went away........only to crash some time later.
Margins are so low in GA that people are indeed tempted to cut corners; unless that sort of practice stops, there is never going to be any easing of the mandatory maintenance standard required for GA training.
[ 07 September 2001: Message edited by: BEagle ]