Student motivation

I have a number of ratings. I approached training for each them the
same way. I got my glider ratings in an extremely informal club
environment and my airplane ratings at small Part 61 flight schools.

My goals we
1. Get the rating in the minimum time at the minimum cost.
2. Achieve the highest level of competency possible so I would be safe
exercising the privileges of the rating.
3. Work out a plan to maintain that competency.

I strongly advocate the this approach to all students. The ones who
accept the advice, do extremely well. The ones who "just show up"
once every month or so expecting the instructor to do everything get
frustrated and start pointing fingers at the "system" whatever it
happens to be.

I knew I could not achieve my goals if my approach were "passive" so I
took charge of my training. First, I read books to prepare for the
written. If a weekend "cram class" was available, I took it. Then I
took practice exams until I could consistently score in the high
90's. When I had done this, I took the actual written.

With the written in hand, I was ready to start flight instruction. I
sat down with my instructor to work out a syllabus suited for me.
With the syllabus in hand, I again hit the books. At the beginning of
each flight instruction session, my instructor and I discussed the
session in advance to assure I had all the knowledge required and
thoroughly understood what would be expected of me. We then flew off
that part of the syllabus. Some instructors were not amenable to this
so I found other instructors.

Using this approach, I took the check rides for all my new ratings
with the minimum hours the FAA allows - and passed. As an example, I
took my instrument checkride with 40.1 hours of instruction in my
logbook. 20 of these were simulator time and 20.1 were in-flight hood
time.

Even with a new rating in hand I knew I still had lots to learn. I
searched for pilots with years of experience doing what I wanted to
do. It didn't matter if they were instructors or not. I was looking
for practical knowledge, not logbook endorsements.

An example was a pilot who flew packages for FedEx in a Caravan. He
was out in the weather every night as a single pilot IFR operation. I
learned more about single-pilot bad-weather flying from him than I
could from any instructor.

For many years, whether I was instrument current or not, I took a
"competency check" flight every six months with a different CFII.
Then, I took great care never to fly into a situation which would push
me to the limits of that competency. I think this saved me several
times.

I just re-took my CFI-G check ride as I do every 2 years. I could
just go to a FIRC bull session or get the FAA to renew my certificate
but I choose to do it the hard way for my benefit and my students.

To summarize, students need to take charge of their training - it's
their butt on the line. No one else has as much at stake.