my thoughts being a student at present (CPL)
I was taught leaning pre PPL but it was never emphasised until close to my PPL. Of course I lean without second thought now but I believe it's just something to complicate a flight further for a person just learning.
Same goes with climb fuel. I was taught it, but never used it until now; it made no difference in training flights and my first navs. As others have said at altitudes you use on such flights and in little warriors or 172s etc it's just something to complicate things further for a student.
The pre-planned diversion thing sounds a bit scary. I was happy to often have them sprung on me, that's the whole point. What will happen to those students when they have to make one and plan it in the cockpit?
I agree with whoever said lodging flight notifications from early on is a good idea, it certainly helped me get the hang of them, they're fiddly things. You're teaching the student to operate an aircraft where they will be responsible for the entire flight and occupants etc, they won't have someone back at base all the time to hold their hands and ring up if they don't come back. Lodging a SARTIME I thought was something everyone was taught.
Also, harking back to when I learned to fly, I would like to see more training done when the wind is howling, rain is bucketing down and the scud is barely above MSA. That approach teaches students to know how far they can go, and a bit of respect for the elements.
Today's flying schools are breeding a bunch of pussies.
I agree wholeheartedly. It's one thing to read about certain conditions, it's another to be in it yourself. Having flown early on in my training (pre PPL) in special VFR conditions, lost all vis, having doors come open in flight and rain coming in everywhere, trying to pick the runway through the muck, etc it opens your eyes the way no textbook can.