What absolute nonsense. There is no such thing as dumbing down unless the examiners themselves are doing it!
We teach to the recommendations of the examiners aswell as the syllabus, if they don't like something the students are doing they tell us and we change what we are teaching. I have to say that so far this has only changed very minor things.
As for doing 10 mile final, GPS use etc.. another load of old rubbish. Many people do fly like this, but not as students or when club flying if I'm about. No school I know of routinely teaches GPS usage as part of the training, but only when the students have reached a sufficient level of competence and nous.
Instructing is not only about teaching the mechanics of flying, but also the mindset that goes along with it. This is something that alot of schools do sometimes fail to pass on sufficiently (in my opinion anyway.) But I fail to see how teaching nmenonics leads to lessening of skill, remember that most people you train will only fly once a month if you are lucky, so anything that can help them remember the correct way of doing things is a help in my book.
As to wether people who fly once a month should be allowed up in an aircraft... That is a different matter.
