"As a matter of public record, the CAA have authorised me as a Flight Examiner for PPL, CPL, IR, and FI, the latter approval gained in 2004 - this would not happen if there was any doubt about my integrity & honesty in business or in my professional flying roles." Without being too cynical the CAA is more interested in your ability to pay the large amounts necessary to achieve these rating's rather than your integrity & honesty. I am also an IRE/CRE etc and the CAA system for accepting us says nothing about our character.
"witnessing the bankruptcy of major companies who took students for thousands in the UK" + "Since the collapse of SFT & others I understand why 50% of our customers pay as they go". Yes I would recomend that no student ever pays up front to a FTO. But you have twice gone bankrupt in the UK at Staverton and Cardiff taking students for money( what was the newspaper headline in a south wales paper "Does this man owe you money"). That hardly says much for buisness ability.
"I am perfectly willing to acknowledge that my way of doing things historically might be too abrasive for some". Stephen that for me is not the issue, in my particular case it was the money you tried to take off my credit card after I left the US( I am quite happy to get details from the credit card company if moderators would like.) For me the other people I know I think you could have been as abrasive as you like if you provided the service you advertise.
I stand by my original point that many FTO's do not have to come on here and defend themselves as they do provide a reasonable service.