HWD
I think that the desire to fly for a real purpose (as alluded by Whirly) is also the reason why so many PPLs end up going for their CPLs.
It isn't a CPL one wants for going places; it's an IMC Rating or an IR, plus of course enough money to get one's hands on a decent aircraft and stay current. A CPL is generally worthless outside an AOC context.
Brooklands
Of course you can fit modern avionics in a C172 for example. The problem is that the average present-day punter, NOT somebody who is just plain mad keen to fly in anything that will leave the ground, can't tell the difference between a Cessna and a washing machine with wings
But one cannot usefully discuss this from within the industry, because most insiders regard the present scene as completely normal and acceptable. Along with not using GPS and using circular slide rules.
Recently at the club I was waiting for my instructor, who was talking to someone who'd just done a trial lesson, and was very interested in doing the full PPL - he explained that it would be useful for business travel! We proceeded to enlighten him
I think a large chunk of the UK flight training business would do itself a great favour on the ethics front if they did the above with everybody that walks into their door
Why restrict such completely correct advice to somebody who
told you they wanted to fly with a purpose?
I fly on business whenever I can. It needs an instrument qualification, plus customers who are within reach of an airfield with a usable instrument approach (or who aren't fussy whether you turn up). No different from doing a
pre-planned flight for any purpose, really, especially with passengers.