SSSSTTTEEEAAAAAAAAAAADDDDYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hang on a sec' chaps.
I am by no means against the NPPL for the reasons some of you seem to imagine. I am not a flying snob and I am certainly not a CPL with night ratings who wants to fly in cloud.
I have held a PPL for 13 years (I'm 30), have 580 hrs and ALL of my flying is VFR and I AM STILL LEARNING.
I have seen a friend meet his maker who was under experienced and that "possibly" contributed towards his end.
All I am asking is that we don't get carried away with this new licence. Someone has quoted on this thread that some people are ready to fly as PIC after 20 hours and others after 60. That is a very valid point.
I am just saying that by continually reducing the requirements to become fully fledged points only one way. That way is down.....
I love microlights and would relish the chance to have a go in one of those flexwings one day. They look great fun and I would like to become qualified at some point to fly one.
While us fixed wing PPL's would not have a clue as to how to handle a flex wing into a 220 m grass strip with a cross wind and rabid sheep in the way, how would a flex wing chap be able to feel confident approaching Birmingham A'port on a Saturday evening in a Cherokee.
Horses for courses, all I say is let's not try and amalgamate them into the same thing too soon...............for safetys sake.