Hi Keef,
As yaknow, I learnt on a HR200 (it's Blue yaknow). Didn't see the Flight Manual until about 40 hours into the PPL. Wouldn't be suprised if some students never saw it before or after they passed. Not sure though what the demogrpahic is on those who have never seen a POH before. Our club locks it away in a filing cabinet. Is this typical?
Our DR221 (it's Red yaknow) doesn't have a CAA-approved Flight Manual, yet is exempted and still runs on a Priavte CofA. There is one in French, however that simply won't do. There is one DR221 in the country on a Public CofA , hence with CAA-approved FM. As luck would have it, the chap who flies the lives two minutes away from me, so I'm using that as a rough guide (only coz I assumed a FM is individual to each aircraft).
Perhaps an issue to put in GASIL?