JJ Flyer - my original post said that IF (and only IF) the 2 PPLs I'd encountered were a representative sample of US PPL training, then indeed we should encourage the CAA to ensure that JAA training at PPL level is to remain in European JAR states. Of course once a pilot has reached an acceptable level of piloting skill, he/she will be able to move on to CPL/ATPL training, but these 2 certainly haven't reached that basic level of competence. I know that senior members of the CAA SRG regularly read PPRuNe - and I hope that this thread is attracting their attention. They propose that fuel duty and VAT should be removed from bona-fide flying training, which would allow schools to compete more easily with those in the USA on costs alone. But not, of course, with the weather conditions!! However, if we win back a bigger share of flying training in this country, we'll need more FI(A)s; JAR-FCL's killing-off of the UK BCPL won't be much encouragement for pilots to become FI(A)s as they'll now need CPL level knowledge as a minimum - and if they're going to go to that level of time and expense, they're hardly likely to prefer instructing to trying to get into the airlines, I venture!!