The Perfect Student

[A Very Civil Pilot]

What is the best type of student you've come across. In my experience it has to be Doctors. They usually pick things up quickly and pass the GFT in minimal time. Any other suggestions?

(As for the worst, it's 'spotters')

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

Soldiers! (Hi Honey!) Very good at picking things up quickly and descision making under pressure.
Otherwise anyone who is determined to be a pilot and has a realistic view of what they need to do to achieve it.
The worst ones are often the ones who think that money buys a licence with nil effort and then blame the instructors when they don't achieve targets. These can come from all walks of life but are thankfully very rare.

[mayday]

Funnily enough I find that the better educated students are a little slower on the uptake due to the twenty questions routine over every issue raised in flight. This tends to slow the flow of lessons.

[This message has been edited by mayday (edited 17 May 2000).]

[Dan Winterland]

Young ones.

[Oleo]

Yeah - young ones. I have found doctors to be the worst (at least here in the USA), I don't think they take it seriously, and don't spend enough time on it and regard everyone who isn't a doctor (or rather everyone apart from themselves) as inferior.

I taught a young race car driver - he was quick on the up-take. I had a lawyer go through in 31 days to PPL - he was very motivated (ex-green beret)and very intelligent, a joy to teach (hell, I didn't have to teach him much!). He would disappear off to the practice area and come back happy three hours later!

Motivation and willingness to learn is everything!

[Spotter]

Doh!

[Hugh Jarse]

Definitely young students. I once gave some lessons to a friends 12 Y.O. At that age their brains are like a sponge. She would have soloed in about 5 hours if she could have legally done so.

The worst? Car salesmen, lawyers. They bring their attitudes and reputations with them.

Hullo Dan. How's the Vegemite? :)



------------------
JARSE! Pull and rotate 90 degrees

[RVR800]

I checked out a brain surgeon
( no seriously )once

He picked things up mega quickly

It helps if they dont think they
know it all ...

Common misconception
I have read the book and I know it
all ...

The book helps but not that much ..

[Poor Pongo]

Big t*ts, Short skirt and an open and willing mind...

[Oz_Pilot]

Pongo - the last word you put was "mind"... did you make a mistake there?

[JaneStop This Crazy Thing]

I feel we have two types of student, regardless of profession, those who want to learn to fly and those who want to be taught to fly. The learn to fly group will try and meet you half way if not more.The others I am sure do not think about flying when they are not in the aeroplane. My "best" student was a plant operator who was a dream student, my second best was a doctor, so go figure. There have been many other well and less qualified people who have been good students. It is really up to the individual and the effort they put in at home and in the aircraft. I think that consistency pays big dividends for the student.

[windowseatdriver]

The best ones are the ones who are motivated and want to learn. I would rather teach a student who is less than gifted but puts in the effort to do what is asked of him/her rather than some hot shot who thinks he knows it all and never prepares what is asked of him/her. The other annoying ones are "my daddy is an airline pilot, and he says i have to be one too" (I am sure there are genuine airline pilot's sons/daughters around too).