Lets take a look at this in a different way. The NPPL is designed for fun flying.
It will allow a lot of existing pilots of Microlights and Gliders to get a more useful licence in vastly less time and expense than the old system.
It will allow a lot of ex pilots to get their licences back at relatively low expense.
It will allow a lot of ex pilots and want to be pilots to get a licence who would not pass the expensive and unnecessary JAR medical.
OK so what if you do not fit into any of the above.
I currently hold a full medical, which has just been renewed at a cost of £100 and ½ a day of my time. I have to go through this process every 2 years. On an NPPL I would have to get a certificate signed by my doctor every 5 years, taking 5 min and costing about £40. Which would you choose?
Most people in the UK fly VFR and do not go abroad. Why would they want a JAR PPL?
1000’s of pilots in the UK are flying in PFA aircraft. These aircraft are not allowed in IMC or to fly ant Night. Why would these pilots want a JAR PPL?
There is a feeling that an NPPL holder is not a proper pilot, and one must go for a JAR PPL for some “snob value”. I hope this will cease. In time the NPPL holders will exceed the JAR version. We all need to be on the same side and pull together, or our hobby will be even more restricted.
There is much hope that an agreement can reached with France to accept NPPL holders, much like the old agreement covering Microlight pliots. If this happens, even more people will switch to NPPL, including me.
Rod