"BEagle:
who's teaching people to use still air planning at medium level if the wind is 'less than about 10 kts'?"
The RAF, it seems... "d. Still-air planning is to be used. When the wind speed is greater than about 10 kts, MDR techniques should be used."
"The advantage of using MDR for pre-flight planning is that the techniques are then fresh if you need to plan a diversion. How many non-mil pilots have you flown with on refreshers or LST/LPCs who pre-plan with a wizzwheel and can still plan and fly a diversion properly?"
Virtually all the non-mil pilots I've flown with have been able to use MDR for the diversion aspect of the PPL Skill Test - because we teach them how to. Whereas most of the RAF pilots I've flown with doing their PPLs cannot accurately calculate an ETA pre-flight as they have no idea how to - it seems that nowadays they aren't taught how to use a whizz-wheel (or even an electronic equivalent) during elementary flying training. Fortunately the Army and RN do still teach this basic part of every pilots' education...
Best though was the naval rotary mate doing his diversion. No MDR for him - from a big bag behind him he produced a selection of pens, planning jobbers and a whizz-wheel. I was waiting for the big brass dividers and the pusser's parallel rule! To his credit he managed to juggle with all this kit, look out of the window and fly the aircraft at the same time and his ETA was spot on time!
Incidentally, I am entirely happy for pilots doing the nav section of the renewal LST / revalidation LPC to use GPS if they do so properly.