Morno, regrettably everyone wants to do the minimum these days because of the almighty dollar. Individuals, of course, are often cash-strapped, so will go to the nearest friendly ATO who takes their money, gives them a few questions, leaps into the old banger twin and does a quick whip-around the local navaids. Possibly followed by some other approach in a pretend simulator - more properly termed a 'device'. Or maybe it is done the other way around with most of the approaches in the device and one in the twin. Either way, it is a token test at best.
Some AOC holders are no better. Recently I had contact with an operator with several King Airs in his fleet. Quite a substantial operation, one would think. At least his fancy web-site said that his was the best blah blah with professional, skilled pilots, blah blah catering specifically to the mining industry blah blah using the finest IFR fleet capable of flying in any weather blah blah. He needed a driver with a certain minimum experience level to fulfill a contract and - being located in a less than salubrious part of this brown land - obviously could not attract or hold on to the required talent. And the money on offer was hardly a king's ransom. But would he spring for an I.R. renewal?
Hell no - he used every excuse going to get me to do that and pay for it myself.
A shame he did not spend as much on training as he obviously did on advertising. Needless to say we never got past the phone convesation stage.