JWF: Like you, I think a flight with an instructor is a good idea, but I think the CAA's attitude to it is not helpful.
I would also hope that Fred the Farmstrip Flyer who has a barely controlled crash each time he flies will benefit from instructor input in a way he didn't before when the only requirement was 5 hours in 13 months (no offence to farmstrip flyers or anybody called Fred intended!!). But to turn it into a pseudo test is I think not helpful.
We rely I suppose on everybody's good sense to be able to take constructive criticism in the interests of saftey, but some don't see it that way.
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"Take-off is optional, Landing is mandatory"