If we keep trying to persuade people to part with £1000's to learn to fly in 1950's kit we are all doomed.
Have you seen the sort of cars that people learn to drive in? The crappiest, cheapest box on wheels the driving school will trust them with.
as for the hours, i think 45 hours is gross overkill, a number pulled out of a mysterious hat
i heard that in the military, if you dont solo after 8-10 hrs, there is a serious problem with you.
We really are doomed if we expect the main student demographic (middle-aged men) to solo in 8-10 hours and if we regard 45 hours as too little to learn how to control the aircraft, understand it's workings, communicate with ATSOs, safely plan flights, understand how we may make mistakes, handle emergencies, know operational procedures and enough air law to keep us safe. There are plenty of pilots out there who have passed at 45 hours+ and still bust airspace, lose control, carry out CFITs, kill their passengers etc. etc.