Thanks for the quick reply Skyway.
I am currently involved with a club that offers flight training. However, rather than providing it ourselves, we have contracted that side of it to a professional organisation. They use the club's aircraft but they provide the instructors and the AOC for the operation.
I believe that this offers some advantages for a small club and the professional organisation. The club does the promotion work so we get new members, we also get the utilisation on the aircraft and the professional organisation gets greater employment opportunities for its staff.
The students get the benefit of instruction from pilots who do more than just instruct as well as a club atmosphere in which to learn to fly.
The financial side is straight forward. The cost of the instructor goes straight to the professional organisation, the hire cost of the aircraft goes to the club.
I think that the students who learn to fly with the club do get a good grounding in aircraft handling, both on and off the ground, but being fully aware at all times is something that only comes with time and experience.
I like to think that I have never stopped learning as there is always something new. I know that in the short time I spent in the Northern Territory, I learnt heaps and that I am a better pilot for it. I suspect the trick is in not forgetting it!