Agree with Looney_Pilot
I agree with Looney_Pilot
The whole idea of JAR was to tidy up the licencing system. Private pilots operate privately, commercial pilots may operate commercially, simple!
Here we are again "doing our own thing" and re-inventing the old Private Pilot's Licence as the National Private Pilot's Licence.
I think there are one or two issues here:
Firstly, if we revert back to the National licencing system then JAR has failed - at least in Private Pilot licencing terms.
Secondly, the NPPL is hardly what the old PPL used to be. It is in every sense a recreational licence only.
Thirdly, persons undertaking training with an NPPL licenced instructor WILL NOT BE ABLE TO UPGRADE TO A JAA PPL AT A LATER DATE, since their instructor's licence and qualification is not recognised by the JAA. The point here is that it would be wise for someone learning to fly to steer clear of NPPL instructors because if they do wish to step up to a JAA PPL their initial training won't count.
Finally, knowing the general standard of some of our PPL's I run cold at the thought of them becoming instructors. The blind being led by the partially sighted is a chilling prospect!
I'm ok with the NPPL - it gets people flying and thats great for GA, but I say we keep instructing professional.