(4) Is it desirable for the FAA to require IFR pilots to practice circling
approaches at every IPC?


I think so. I suspect (but do not know as a fact) that the changes are coming
about because of a realization that circling approaches are not as benign as
they were first thought to be, and pilots should be proficient in them.
Perhaps too few pilots have any experience at all with them in training, and
then in real life are unprepared for the transition to visual while circling in
low visibilty at low altitude. The first time I did a circling approach (in an
IPC, at my request) it was an eye opener.

I'm much less concerned with the profits of businesses that have invested in
devices that are more expensive than airplanes and now complan that they need
to use a real airplane. There's plenty a sim can do (and some things done
better in a sim), but there's no beating an airplane.

I'm actually a bit more bothered by the "if it's in the airplane, you have to
demonstrate it, but if it's not in the airplane, you don't" mentality, though I
don't really have much to say for the alternative either and have no answer.

Jose



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