hello DRJAD,
.....would continue to hire from the school or club at which they learnt.
I think that is already the standard. Once you get your PPL you usually stay with the same club or school you're familiar with, the planes you know, the people and airfield you know. Most new PPL's can't afford their own plane, so what alternative do they have?
The mentoring would only really be possible in a club and not a commercial outfit I think. What most pilots I know try to do is plan flights together, one flying and paying the first stretch, the other flying the return. That way each pays only that part he actually flies and manages to go to new places the other may already know. And you learn by watching the other....
In my old glider club we tried to assign pilots to new students, sort of a mentor I guess, to show them how the club works, etc. Worked pretty well.... usually.
The electronic writtens are gaining ground over here.....
Westy