Whilst I wasn't having a go at the CAA (perhaps I should have said JAA) I fail to see why there is so much emphasis placed on the number of hours training as opposed to the test. If you are good enough to pass the test, why should it matter how many hours it took you to get there. The CAA said that the reason for the increase in the IR was to stop people sitting a test when they weren't ready simply because they felt under pressure. I think it is a worse crime to make people train for 50 hours when they only need 20. The IR test is stringent enough that you won't pass unless you really are good enough so why keep making everyone do loads of hours.