DR is suposed to be the base of VFR navigation
Would you let an very experienced nurse do surgery to a relative?, why? because she is not a professional surgeon, she is only a nurse, it doesn´t matter how many surgery operations she´s been helping the surgeon to perform.
So why on earth would you want a non profesional instruct how to fly aeroplanes?, if he doesn´t do it well there is lots of dangerous things that can happen, to the student and 3rd persons, both airborne and on the ground.
I support the requirement of CPL level knowledge, I agree with some of you, there can be a very good PPL out there with little need of extra knowledge, but who can tell which PPL needs more knowledge?, nobody, so the only way to make sure all reach the minimum knowledge to be able to develop his instructing abbilities is for the people willing to do the FIC to have CPL level before they start.
As for the exams, the FTO´s giving you the theoretical tuition will make sure your knowledge is enough before you get to the exams, and memorizing the questions wont get you a pass, I believe the CAA usually changes a few of the questions regularly , just enough to avoid this, unless you know your stuff it is not likely you´ll get through.
IO540
If you do navigate with refference to the GPS info as a primary mean of navigation, then you are not flying VFR, you are flying not following the rules you should be following, wether this is an easier way or not for navigation and all that it`s another matter, so if you do not use DR as the primary mean of navigation YOU ARE FLYING ILEGALLY.
Besides, if you use GPS or radionavigation (VOR,ADF,DME) as primary chances are you are looking too much inside the cockpit, thus not applying the "see and avoid" rule, basis of VFR flying, you are putting yourself and others in danger.
The VFR rules say you have to be able to know your position by visually checking the terrain and/or other features below and around you, and use GPS and VOR/DME/ADF only to help you. If you do not feel confident doing it this way, I suggest you get an instructor to help you refresh and improve your DR skills, or else,to get an IR if you haven´t got one,and fly IFR.
Another option, as said by one of our colleagues, is to get the politicians/CAA to change the rules.
LEVC