My associate has just had to take a PA28-180 off-line at his flying school and sell shares in it as the engine, with 1250 hours on it has passed 12years old! It's no more or less safe because of that!
AWN 35 had the same hours & calender provisions that GR24 has now, Lycoming say 12 years TBO, you're still lucky enough to get the CAA's 20% extra for ""PT" use, so why blame Part M for this? Nothing has changed here and your associate is no better or worse off in this respect. In fact he should be thanking the Campaign Against Aviation for keeping GR24 alive.