I was surprised at the choice that Flight made, though I don't begrudge Craig getting the best jolly any aerospace writer has had in recent years....., though I'd agree that the viewpoint of any trained and qualified mil pilot would have been more useful than his.
But perhaps EF GmbH specified what sort of passenger they'd accept? Round about that time, the people getting Typhoon rides were folk like James May....
However, since Flight have had their shot at Typhoon, why should they get another - just because Collins was breathlessly enthusiastic about Rafale (and, frankly, made some pretty silly remarks)?
To me, this just highlights the fact that a magazine as prestigious and important as Flight should have a more current TP, with more recent and more relevant experience.
Someone who has flown a modern, glass cockpit, multi-role fighter operationally, who has flown aircraft of Typhoon's class and whose military test flying experience encompassed 'fitness for purpose' testing and evaluation, rather than research test flying (Boscombe rather than Bedford - Pax River rather than NASA Ames). You make a big deal of PC's experience - what would the two RAF types he's current on be? King Air and Global Express, no doubt?
As to fast jets, his operational tours were on Harrier GR3, SHar FRS1 and (I believe) Lightning. He flew Mirage 2000 while at ETPS more than 20 years ago. Apart from a handful of one off flight tests for the magazine, I'd question how wide his experience of contemporary fast jets and advanced trainers really is. And, to me, his conclusions on Rafale reflected a lack of any real baseline for proper comparison.
I would not for one microsecond claim to be fit to lick PC's boots, nor am I suggesting that I would in any way be better suited to flight testing anything, but my own lack of qualifications should not bar me from being able to take a sober look at other people's suitability to do so.
RAF pilots flew Rafale in the UAE last year. Your supposition that "Perhaps Typhoon (is) not as good as advertised against The French!" could not be more wrong.