Personally, from my student experience, I love PAR's. All I need is a radio. The controllers tell me where to go. Granted it places a lot of trust in the controllers but its so much easier than tuning up an ILS and flying off an approach plate in a small cockpit with the thing strapped to your leg.
The only way a PAR would be better is if it automatically gave me needles like an ILS as well.
Then don't ever go to the radar shack and watch them perform a PAR. You just might lose faith.

-ea6bflyr
