Ever since this JAA instructor flight was introduced it has become ( with the exception a few liberated instructor /examiners like yourself) a back door means of introducing a biennial flight test.
flybymike,
I'd like to see chapter and verse where someone actually admits to having been made to to stick to a particular profile for a revalidation flight, instead of the 3rd party story handed over a pint in the pub. I don't know of ANYONE who has been coerced into a particular flight by a CRI/FI.
However, many people very sensibly combine it with a club/school 6-month check, which at our place has a written list of minimum requirements, including stalling and PFLs. Now, if a customer came to me and said 'I've done a 6-month check but now I want to do my revalidation flight and I want to do an hour of circuits/cross-country/land away somewhere/go and have a look at Felixtowe docks (yes, really!) then of course I'd oblige, happily.
NO-ONE is forced to do a 6-month check. It's just that if you want to hire from us, it's one of the rules, just like minimum hours if you take it away for a weekend, no unlicenced aerodromes without prior approval etc. To people who find all this a bit restrictive, I recommend joining one of the groups on our noticeboard. And before you ask, no we don't mind advertising them. The loss of hire business is compensated for by the friends that they bring with them who then learn to fly with us.