Having experienced the CAA, FAA and the RAF I am somewhat bemused by, what I consider to be, extravagant lauding of the FAA. I did not (and still don't) find them to be particularly sympathetic to the pilot nor usually are they to be found in the real world. They operate in a different legislative environment which restricts the way they conduct themselves, this in turn may give them the appearance of being 'on the side of the trainee.' I don't believe they are, they just can't do what they would like to do, witness the way they treat the fully qualified.