Your and Scott’s point though raise some good issues. Everyone is focused on new starts. Almost no one is paying attention to how many pilots actually receive the license.

Most of the responsibility for student quits are about the instructors I think, because most of them see teaching as a place to hang out until they can find a real job. Students are still customers and they can sense that as clearly as a new hat.

The next level of responsibility rests with the schools who often charge a decent amount for instruction time, but turn little of it back to the instructor themselves. Instructors often work hard for little return which translates into the desire to run somewhere else for a real job.

Instructor fees were never meant to function as a revenue source, but that’s what they’ve become. Just one more reason many good instructors head to a flying club. They can charge what they want and keep it all. The market makes the decision. If the fees too high and no one will fly. Set them correctly and everyone wins.

My instructor made sure I scanned and knew what the airplane was doing at all times without reference to instruments,and this is before I solo’ed. Marvelous!!..

One reason pilot starts are now at a low point in some respects … there is a two-fold scenario here, where students are just as much disillusioned as the instructors ability to teach.

I applaud you for directing attention to this aspect of aviation.

My instructor left to pursue an airline career, like many do, but in his place was one who made sure I completed all necessary skills for the check ride. I did it in 1967.

He was one of those rare individuals who could see personal traits in people and knew if you would make it in the pilot world. My path ended with a positive attitude towards flight instructors.