While I empathise with your frustration, most flight schools now rate their underpaid instructor at $100 ph. Maybe a reduction in the rate when you are performing tasks of multiple hours (2+) is the answer, personally my last BFR was performed while flying from Cowra to Townsville, I do like a new challenge from time to time and like use my instructor accordingly. For country pilots take advantage of some poor instructor in (say) Bankstown and go terrorise the Sydney basin (and the instructor) while you do the basics .... Nothing says you have to stay in the training area.
