Thanks for your reply sthdg360. Please don't think that every 'hours-builder' is tarred with the same brush. Yes, I've known some who would get airborne in poor Wx with a student who hadn't even gone solo in order to 'teach' IF......or who wouldn't bother to supervise their students' solo circuits if there was a chance of going off on a navex with another student in order to grab another hour or two....
The modifications you propose to the FIC entry requirements seem very sensible to me - as does your idea of including methods of instruction during the course. Having to learn how many cabin crew are required on a 145 seat airliner is perhaps less important to a FI than knowing HOW to teach!!
The FI re-validation requirements have recently changed as I'm sure you're aware; from now on the first re-validation must be by flight check - as must every alternate re-validation for existing FIa after the next re-validation. So, if you've just re-validated, you still have the '2 out of 3' option for the next re-validation, but if you choose a seminar then the re-validation after that must be by test - for many that will mean no mandatory test needed for the next 6 years!
After some pretty 'robust debate' recently at CAA HQ, the Authority very graciously gave ground and now changes are afoot for PPL-holding SLMG and Microlight instructors; really all this will do is to protect their existing practices and privileges in a change to 'same thing but under a different name'. The Authority tried to persuade the NPPL Policy & Steering Committee to consider changes to SEP instruction as well, but the committee considered that there were far too many issues at stake to accept such proposed changes at this stage and that considerably more debate is needed. Plus there is no current shortage of FIs; in fact there isn't even enough work for those already qualified right now. Personally I doubt whether that will change until airline recruiting starts ramping up again, so why do we need any 'easing' of current requirements, one might well ask.