Originally posted by Burger
I agree with Goofup. The thing to remember is most newbies don't really understand/realize that using an instructor is their best chance for success until someone at the local club tells them, or they read it somewhere. If the amount of time a person spends on instructing is felt as an encroachment on their personal time, maybe it's time to take a break from instructing. Maybe setting a schedule and sticking to it allowing more time for personal flying is an answer. If you're just an old grumpy instructor resentful of being asked to impart your experience and knowledge, pretend you don't know anything and soon nobody will ask you squat. Newbies are grateful for the experiences, whether they return the following year or not. Once bitten they will return to R/C, sooner or later. It happened to me. Plant a seed and it will grow... maybe not at the rate you expect. Kind of like spreading the gospel... you do it out of love, not for money. :sunsmiley
Burger
This thread took several turns. I think that the basic feeling is that MOST clubs have made and will continue to make free instruction available. However, for the newbie that wants time dedicated to him when he wants and how he wants, he may very well find it necessary to pay someone.
I also think that in the vast number of cases, anyone expecting to learn to fly in 4 or 5 hours elapsed at the field will be disappointed. 4 or 5 hours of actual stick time is probably a realistic expectation. Anyone that thinks or demands that in one outing to the field may very well be disappointed.
IF the AMA does condone paid training at chartered club fields, I think it will be a casual thing, not an organized business. I know many of the older members at my club would be willing to meet a newbie at the time when the newbie wants, for a fee. The newbie will not find such demands being met by most instructors for free. The same is true of the instructors undivided attention.
Unfortunately, not all newbies are grateful for anything. Some are, some are not. We had one fellow show up recently. He told a club officer that he had joined the AMA and had been told by a LHS owner that we HAD to train him and that he did not have to be a member of our club, in rather loud tones. We set the newbie straight and did the same with the shop owner. It was amazing to see the change of attitude of both. It looks like he will be a good addition to our club, but, it certainly did not look or sound that way in the beginning. Oh... the training is being done on the time line of the instructor, not that of the newbie.
JR