JJ Sinclair wrote:

Second, I make absolutely sure my signature never appears in their logbook
meaning I will never pass them on a flight review.


Shouldn't we be telling these guys exactly what we think? I know of 2 pilots
that were killed in sailplanes where their instructor later said, "I knew it
was going to happen". Aren't we doing everyone a disservice by sighing them off
when we really don't think they are safe? I'm not talking about you Bill, But
someone is sighing these marginal people off every 2 years. If an instructor
were to tell them the truth, as he sees it, they might just get the message.
JJ Sinclair
We recently had to face something like this. A dedicated student, out at the
club twice a month. Flies pretty competently, as well he should after nearly 200
dual launches. Only one problem, he tends to startle, and do irrational things
when he does. None of our instructors were happy to send him solo, not because
he could not fly safely 99% of the time, but because none of them wanted to
discuss how he killed himself with his family.

A little diplomacy from the CFI and an agreement reached. He still flies, and is
no longer formally under instruction. One of the basic instructors goes along as
a safety pilot, and every one is happy. If he ever settles down enough that the
instructors are very sure of him, he may even get to fly solo. Nobody -
including him - expects this, but the option is open.

Everyone wins, he gets to fly without pressure, the club is not exposed to
unneccessary risk, and we retain a friend in the club. There are very few
people who actually want to kill themselves, and you have little chance of
catching or preventing them.