The aircraft in question was VFR so there are other alternatives to CTA for most of the way.
Ahhhh, the dood needs to get his students into CTA as part of PPL Syllabus. I think you'll find him and most of his students will avoid CTA like the plague once they have the CTA endorsement.
When I was doing my PPL my instructor went through all possible scenarios when actually in CTA:
What if the ATC gives you a vector that will put you into cloud?
Advise the ATC unable as vector will put me in cloud.
What if the ATC offers you direct to the next way point?
If it's an NDB or VOR and it's in range I will accept.
What if there's no AID?
I can calculate a 1 in 60. If I'm over a prominent landmark I will draw the new track on my map and use my protractor to calculate the new track. I can ask the ATC for a heading for the tracking point. I can ask the ATC if an intercept of planned track is available. If none of that is possible I'm going to ask you to turn the GPS back on and press direct to
