Thats the way I also read it TorqueStripe, however you must realise that there are a lot of threads here posted by those who haven't read it at all.
Two things stand out so far in this thread.
1. The lack of people prepared to comment, who have actually read Article 26 as highlighted by TorqueStripe.
2. If you aren't allowed to start the thing unsupervised prior to flying solo, who is in charge when they fly solo for the first time? Because if you can't be trusted to start the thing by yourself, how can you be trusted to fly the thing by yourself??
SS