WWW I fully agree!!
I too call for a complete ban of practice PAN's in the UK. It's a sad reflection of modern times, but modern times I'm afraid they are!
I fully monitor 121.5 across the world, and I can truly say, the UK is the ONLY country where I find 121.5 being used by GA as part of training exercises.
Commercial traffic are supposed to monitor 121.5 these days, but within or near the UK this becomes all too often a task that gets the volume turned down because of the frequency beong used for non-emergency traffic.
In a busy IFR environment where the RT loading is busy, then it is purely unacceptable to have this chatter going on in your ears in addition. The result - many commercial pilots NOT monitoring 121.5 near/within UK airspace.
Sadly, time for a change!
Emergencies R Us I would appreciate a view from D&D........why do we persist with this when other countries no longer do??
Regards
30W