We seem to attract the parent (usually dad but not always) who brings a trainer out with their son - "who wants to learn how to fly". Possilby because our field is in the city limits and next to a busy highway in town.

Almost always this is followed by the kid rambling around for 1/2 an hour in the parking lot kicking rocks at planes, sitting in the car listening to the radio, and once a kid sitting in the car watching tv/dvd while dad puts the plane together.

It gets pretty absurd at times, sometimes the dad will have to put the plane together, get it cranked, do a range check, hussle up an instructor, taxi it out, get in the pilot box, then look for his kid "who wants to learn how to fly". The kid is so interested in learning to fly that when he is not in control of the plane on the buddy box he wanders around the pilot box looking back at the pits, the parking lot, or starting up into who knows what.

I guess parents see it as a way to spend time with their kids and almost always I think either the parent was interested and thought he could get the kid interested first, or it was "quality" time together. Kids like this never learn much and almost always disappear after the solo if they make it that long.

Our club is pretty loose on who can instruct. I do it when I can pick out who I want to instruct, someone that is interested and mature (even a 10 year old can be "mature" about it). I don't instruct people who decide to get into the hobby on a "whim" or kids who have the attention span measured in milliseconds. I NEVER volunteer out loud on a Saturday morning that I'm an instructor etc... I'd get stuck on the buddy box till I decided to go home. Some people get annoyed - but I come out to the field to fly. Some days I will come out with no planes and don't mind, or I bring one small plane in my truck and the goal that day is to spectate/gossip/instruct etc... But some days are hardcore flying days for me - I don't want to spend all day on a buddy box after I stayed up nearly all night finishing up some touches on a particular plane, loaded up the trailer and watched the wind forecast 25 times to get the right day to do trim flights all day. I know that's selfish - that's why I never volunteer out loud. Let them find me and we'll fit right together. Plus I do most of my flying during the weekdays.

I think students come out better if they stick with one instructor IF the instructor is the right one for them. I get a kick out of going from zero to hero with a student and he can do it all his own.

Someone mentioned earlier about bringing their own gear etc...it's pretty standard for our instructors to tell students to get a trainer (or guide them to a good trainer/radio/engine combo) and then tell them to forget the rest....Use the instructors flight box etc...till the student knows enough about what they need and what they might like etc...before they blow $$$ on a gizmo they'll never use.