WWW: I have been mildly amused at some of your comments, re: flight training in the US, but I have a question for you:. .. .As I have been mildly amused by your efforts to justify an inequitable system. .. .This is a scenario that arises on occassion (albeit rarely). . .. .Your scenario might apply to perhaps half a dozen people a year.. .. .An individual in the UK (hard working and successful, but with relatively limited spare time available) wishes to fly the airways in IMC in his own aircraft, or a rented aircraft--he is indifferent where that aircraft is registered--but needs something physically based in the UK, so that he may fly from his home to offices and business meetings that may be on the Continent, or further afield. For arguments sake, let's assume he has a JAR-FCL SE PPL / Night with only a 150 hours. . .. .So he has very little flying experience and wants to go fly intenation IFR flights in a single to get to important meetings on business. I would advise him not to so stupid. He'll end up killing himself or someone else. Even if he doesn't he will find himself so hassled by ice, minima and slot restrictions that it will be neither a pleasure nor a convenience to fly himself around on business.. .. .His initial concern is that he needs a full IR added to his licence.. .. .The IMC rating would be a better option and forget the airways and their charges. Forget the idea of doing international airway flying in your own single for business.. .. .The guy working the desk at his local flying club, a PPL with 80 hours TT wearing a four gold bars on each shoulder and peppered with spots,. .. .Ooh funny that I never saw anyone wearing such stripes at my local school. Indeed I never wore a single stripe when I was a JAA Approved FI teaching CPL IR courses to airline cadets in Jerez. In a flight training sortie I fail to see how either of you could get confused about the chain of command therefore I always considered stripes superfluous. As do the vast majority of FI's. And I suppose nobody in the US is instructing in order to build hours? No? COME OFF IT! . .. .Under JAA there is a requirement for 150hrs of groundschool for an FI rating. There is then a bi-annual renewal requirement involving flight checks, attendance at seminar and hours flown requirement. Because airlines sponsor cadets they get to dictate to large FTO's that their instructors must be highly qualified, experienced and therefore well remunerated. There is now in place therefore a reasonable professional structure in place in JAA whereby instructors are less likely to be hours builders and more likely to be career instructors. So lets drop the childish stereotypes.. .. . tells him that it's not possible as he has a JAR-FCL PPL, yet the guy in our scenario insists that his best friend has only an ME PPL / IR and he flys his King Air (it's a 200) when he wants, and on the airways and through the clouds. For the moment let's disregard insurance requirements.. .. .Lets not disregard insurance requirements. Any wealthy individual will have significant Life Insurance. It will almost certinaly stop him from flying as you describe.. .. .Disregarding the apparent prejudice you have for foreign licences for the moment, . .. .Nothing wrong with foreign licences. Its Yanks training EU nationals for EU liceneses in FAA aircraft that I can't fly in a country where I am not allowed to work that irks me and all JAA instructors.. .. .and on the assumption that as a professional pilot you feel obliged to offer him the fairest and most impartial advice as he's a keen aviator, what would your advice to him be?. .. .As stated above. The obstacles are too great. The industry/CAA does not really want him to do what he is thinking of and therefore its made very expensive. If he wants to get to the continent on business then take a sheduled service. It will be cheaper even if he flies business class. It will be far more reliable operating a Jet capable of Cat3a/b/c. It will be infinitely safer. He won't have to worry about Eurocontrol, slot restrictions, infringing noise abatement profiles, diverting to somewhere unexpected, onerous customs requirements and inspections at each end etc. etc. If he needs the flexibility of going to local airfields then use the Charter Air Taxi operators who are professional and not amateur at doing what he seeks to do.. .. .As a further consideration, let's assume that the potential customer isn't interested in the elitist 'Yacht Club' attitude;. .. .I have no idea what you mean by this. There are some charming clubs and schools in the UK you know. I never ever attacked US flight schools for the facilities and atmosphere they offered. Why do you try to do this? Shall I show you the dozens of emails about O***** Flight Training I have received over the years? Shall I? The horror stories about shoddy aircraft, rip off advertising, diss-interested staff and a disgusting level of customer service.... .. . he's also curious to know why his friend's aircraft is not on the G register, but clearly will not be won over by an arrogant and condescending attitude. . .. .Well presumably its on an N register.. .. .Now, it's apparant that he's got some money to spend, and you're obviously wanting to promote the UK GA scene and encourage him to invest in that industry. Again, what would your well-considered advice be to him???. .. .As above.. .. .Cheers, WWW. . . . <small>[ 30 March 2002, 11:14: Message edited by: Wee Weasley Welshman ]</small>