Fuji Abound - It does appear that I am better informed than you, doesn't it? The list of approved training organisations, published by the CAA and available on their website, shows that 4 Forces Aviation hold approval for the JAR-FCL 1 CPL Modular Theoretical Knowledge (A) course. This approval could hardly have been gained unless the syllabus had been approved. Hence my statement that "the only provider that holds an approval has ceased trading" was absolutely correct.
I don't quite understand your allusion to a strong disagreement. You said
"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"
and I said
"The CAA can hardly force training providers to apply for approval for a course for which they see an inadequate market".
Not much disagreement there, surely. If insuffient numbers of PPL holders wish to gain an IR, you can hardly blame the training providers for choosing not to invest in the development of a course.
Noggin - One training provider (4 Forces) has submitted a compliant syllabus and has received approval. Unfortunately, it has ceased trading. I agree, however, that it is not the CAA that is at fault, while by no means perfect, their hands are tied by their political masters who insist on ever closer ties to europe. If you think the JAA debacle is a disaster, just wait until you are conned into joining the EMU - you won't even be able to afford a FAA IR under the resulting exchange rate.
[ 08 September 2001: Message edited by: rolling circle ]