I know, it's pretty shocking, I put it to them that as you were already a pilot and you needed the 738 rating to be employed then surely you could offset it but they said no. It might be worth trying to ask though, as one might have differnt interpretations of the relevant legislation. One thing I didn't ask is if you could offset a loan payment against your tax bill, that's on the list for tomorrow's call.
What you can claim (from what I can gather from my accountant mother) is literally ANYTHING to do with your business, as long as you can prove it is a legitimate business expense. Car parking, ID, your car, your fuel to the airport, etc..
Horgy