no sponsor,
Useful comments thanks. The simple answer is that I don't know. I do know that a low hours pilot without an IR(H) doesn't have much hope in the North Sea right now (which is what I'd really like to do).
Also, given that from this point, the direct route to an IR(H) and the route via an fATPL(A) are about the same cost, it seems logical to get the most for your buck.
Not sure I have a 'new' approach yet as such - just putting out feelers and trying to find my way through the low hours problems like many...