Jim
Your comments do not fit in well with your signature!

What I said was a comment ( albeit a little cynical), and it was not negative ( as your statement implies). - what is negative about having a try?

As for your other statement, "you are bound to crash" etc. - is that negative or what?
Is a crash such a disaster anyway ?

To have a good instructor is a blessing, - I wouldn't deny that, but there are situations, as in this guy's case where it is perhaps necessary to go without, and this is quite possible, (I know from personal experience).

I think the environment he flies in is very different to the environment where people fly from clubs near towns, and it is not for them to impose their ( necessary for them ) rules on those who fly way way out of town, - he is actually the lucky one.

Just fly the thing!