There are two sides to the checkout coin.
When doing a checkout it is up to the FI to make sure that the person is safe and that they aren't going to bend the aircraft. I fall very much into the camp of taking an overall view of someone, not just picking holes in silly little things like the order that memory checks are done in.
As long as everything is covered, then frankly who gives a monkeys?
However, if you fly with someone who is blatantly all over the shop, who for example lines up with the road not the runway, then you are well within your rights to ask for it to be done again and again until you are comfortable that the person being check out isn't going to damage your aircraft or themselves.
As I've often said here, you can tell how competent someone is going to be within the first 5 minutes of meeting them. How they conduct themselves, how they checkout the aircraft, how receptive they are to what you are saying in the brief, what planning they do and to what standard etc.etc.
The flying is often then just a formality, but with some people you almost need to start from scratch.
When someone new comes to the club, they need to be receptive to how you do things there. As soon as you hear the words "but that wasn't how I was trained" the alarm bells start ringing. Not because they were taught badly but because they are not open to new ideas and techniques.
Is this ringing any bells?
I understand absolutely. It just I hadn't expected that kind of investment in re-training when I started out, so obviously there was a feeling of frustration.
Taking in the whole picture I am grateful for anything that is going to make me a safer and more competent pilot.
Sounds like my escapades are doing the flying club bar circuit!
