Clearly there is an issue about the user perception of a lot of UK flying schools. Not all are in the same catagory however. The better ones seem to be owned by individuals who have an interest in aviation and have run other sucessful businesses outside the aviation world and have not therefore spend a career expecting and accepting the situation we have, in many places and who understand customer services, and the need to make a profit. . .. .In order to encourage an overall quality rise, might I suggest perhaps a system of flying school regulation. Rather than the current situation where you just fill in a few forms and send it off to the CAA and hey presto you are a registered facility; one only has to lok at the list of schools on the CAA website to see that a good number are one man and his dog operating out of nowheresville. If, for example, before an outfit could train pilots the had to have a certain level of capital resoures, and maintain a prescribed level of solvency, this would keep out the bloke with a few old aircraft, which he probably doesn't own, but just rents off owners who themselves cannot really afford to own aircraft. Everyone must have encountered the "Me Too" boys who set up near a flying school renting a/c at stupidly low rates based on he some income is better than none approach to business to catch the I want it cheaper people. The hole in the hedge businesses have no place in aviation. If prices are driven down by the shoestring operations at the expense of properly resoursed outfits charging proper rates, the whole industry will go to hell in a handcart as quality operators throw in the towel and invest their money elsewhere, leaving the shaby end of the market to continue selling time in a/c of dubious parentage.. .. .Just a thought, but if the cheapo operators are selling time as cheaply as they advertize, some at rates which cannot possibly be expected to be profitable, how do they do it? What it it they are skimpping on, other than glossy buildings etc; how many duck and dive on the maintaince, perhaps they keep their overheads down by not joining the inland revenue's club. Whatever it is, get them out of the market, allow only the well resoursed operators, have them quality checked, (sort of aviation star ratings) and the industry will be half way here.