Rolling circle - you may be better informed that I, but I spoke to the CAA within the last couple of days and they confirmed the syllabus had not yet been approved by them, the London Guild came forward with the same story. I have written formally, so we will see what is said.
I have to also strongly disagree with the sentiment you express. I spoke to many training organisations and they put it simply - they are not intending to provide a course towards the JAR CPL/IR exams because they simply do not consider it commercially viable - OK that may change, let us hope so, but I personally doubt it.
So where does that leave us - well under the old national rules, even had a course not been provided, self study was quite possible, but under JAR I gather you MUST be enrolled on a course. In consequence, at the moment I suspect there is NO practical means of obtaining a PPL/IR short of taking the full ATPL exams. I am glad to be corrected, and have again written to the CAA to seek clarification.
I think it is very worrying, as this forum has indicated, that the vast majority of PPLers who wish to pursue an IR now follow the FAA route. What does this mean? 1. A loss of aircraft to the N register, and presumably a loss of income to our national authority in consequence. 2. A loss of income to our training schools. 3. A loss of income to our training colleges. What is gained? - well certainly no improvement in safety, because even if the FAA/IRer is of lesser standard (and I doubt it is of any consequence to the PPL'er) it matters not one iota because the same pilots will be flying in the same airspace on an N register. In pursuing my enquiries the CAA have been very helpful - BUT where ever the policy decisions are coming from, I go along with the other views expressed, in that there would seem no place for PPL/IRers within JAR. I for one think it is a disgrace.
.. .. .. and so why do I so strongly disagree - well because it is only too easy for our national authority to say, if indeed they do, that the mechanism is in place, it is hardly our fault if no one is prepared to implement it. If that is really so come clean - tell PPLs to opt out of JAR, follow the FAA route, put your aircraft on the N register, and whilst you are at it, don't buy a European aircraft because it will be more difficult to put on the N register.
Then again, just maybe it is easier to roll over an accept it - I think not, it IS worth lobbying!!
[ 07 September 2001: Message edited by: Fuji Abound ]