Been reading this thread with interest.
Having well maintained aircraft where ALL the equpiment inside work rather than having INOP stickers overs everything and looking like it belongs to the Rodney Trotter School Of Flying - it will put potential students off if they think you are cutting corners by not maintaining aircraft, first impressions count!
Love the picture painted there, can just imagine Del and Rodney "becoming miwyunaires" with their flying school....taking some advice off Boycie perhaps...
However, if there is a U/S sticker on the aircraft or on the e-booking system, this shouldn't surely put potential students off? Its just realistic. Sometimes, you just can't help it if an aircraft is u/s for a long time.
I would put "mentoring" (yeah I know it is a currently trendy term, and a lot of people in the industry disapprove of it) very high up, and in the flying school context this means having experienced pilots as members and actively supporting them
As a student who has this from two very good ex-RAF pilot friends, I totally agree with you Peter, it gives another experienced, trusted viewpoint for the student to ask, so they don't just rely on their instructor; its someone else to bounce issues off and also once qualified, another pilot to go flying with on the first few trips as a fresh PPL just for that extra security (I know thats what i'll be doing once qualified!)
I only have experience of our club, but some of the points raised are so true...a club which is student friendly and welcomes new members, one with a laid back attitude so it doesn't feel like "school". Don't like the idea of this formal homework someone mentioned! PPL students will work hard at home without QFI motivation, the motivation to get the licence is all I certainly need, and am doing everything to get it.
One with great socials and fly-ins where the students are just as much respected members of the club as the experienced pilots.
One where, again as someone said, the student gets stuck into everything...washing the aircraft, pre-flight aircraft cx, checking the ATIS, Wx, NOTAMS, Out Brief, booking out with ATC, fuelling-up after flight, putting the aircraft away if not being used again, closing and locking the Hangar and the Club if the last one out and volunteering for Duty Pilot duties once every three months (a great way to learn Ground procedures).These are all things which I do as a matter of course and have done since about my third lesson...and wouldn't have it any other way.