I second everything MJ says. For ab initio I teach 500 feet AGL to the flare should be the same for every landing. Therefore the first thing they want to work on is getting the aircraft to the 500 foot spot on speed, trimmed, lined up with the centreline and at a point back from the runway to give the correct flight path. If the aircraft is not in good shape at the 500 foot point we go around as if they were not able to stay ahead of the aircraft to this point it will not get better the closer we get.
Also working on getting a consistent stabilized approach first, makes teaching the flare and hold off much easier.
Towards the end of my time as a full time instructor I got all the problem and not progressing students. If the student was stuck in the circuit the first thing I did was go to the practice area and re teach Attitudes and Movements. Invariably the problem was the fact that their instructor had rushed though the foundation ex 5 to 9 and the student did not understand the basics of aircraft control.......
Last edited by Big Pistons Forever; 31st October 2012 at 21:30.