The problem is that more people now get a CPL than PPL if you believe the CAA consultancy report (Pilot Magazine)
GA is on 'a downward spiral' according to the CAA report which itself is in denial about the trends so evident in its own data and the consultants report.
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/1/Trends%2...n%20201205.pdf
Costs are too high and we are not competing with the FAA system. Many vote with their cheque book becoming FAA PPL-IR 'N' class owners.
We are held to ransom by a multi-national self-serving bureauocracy intent upon adding cost and intent upon over regulation.....
The CAA are increasing costs above inflation. The JAA are obsessed with airliners they ignore GA by accepting the poor take-up on ratings like the PPL and IR concentrating instead on The Multi-Pilot Rating that as Asian Frog says will futher divide GA from the the airline community
The government want to turn many airfields into housing estates by accelerating th eplanning process and GA may suffer from the green lobby unless new technolgy can be approved and developed quickly - fat chance....