Yeah I read that article in Pilot magazine this month too, and found it quite useless.
It seems to imply that the average PPL can only fly in a spamcan at 55 kts with perfect weather and no controlled airspace, let alone using any instruments apart from the airspeed indicator !
Not saying that we could all land a 747 at the first attempt, but we are not that thick either !
The bit that goes something like "Fly the approach 5 kts too slow and you'll smash into the ground, fly it too fast and you'll float for miles" left me a bit bemused considering it came from a training captain.
I am no airliner expert but it made me worry as it implies that everytime we're on final approach on one of the many commercial flights I take as a passenger, I am only 5 kts away from a tragic death !!
It also revealed the aerodynamic (and environmentally friendly) properties of the 747 which, on idle power, will float for miles if flown 10 kts too fast on approach. Who needs engines !!! Gordon Brown will appreciate that.
The other bit about "only young alert folks like Will Swinburn can do it" (don't quote me on that one, but that was the message) was priceless.
Sometimes what separates an experienced and competent PPL from a ME IR CPL is simply a lot of money invested in training !
Maybe it was an Oxford advert in disguise ???