FIA Question 1!

Getting your student ready for their stage check is a big event, and not having your student be proficient on landings can hinder a pass or fail check. I think some techniques that can be demonstrated to your student to overcome whatever is holding them back from making safe and successful landing can be low passed over the runway, chair flying the pattern and motion, stay in ground effect as long a possible as the airplane airspeed drops, explain the sight picture of a stable approach and how to make final/short final as stable as possible with few corrections. Also show them where to be looking in the flare down the runway, have them be able to feel the flare and how much pressure is needed, where to start it and how much is needed at the point of touchdown.

I think these are some basic steps to resolve the landing plateau, if these don't work or the student isn't grasping any concept it is time to bring in another instructor to see if there techniques or strategies will help there plateau. Then if this doesn't work after around 5-10 hrs I think it would be a good idea to tell a supervisor or chief on the situation or learning plateau. I then feel as they would have the most experience and if they can't have the student come around or succeed over there plateau, only then at that point I would feel the "maybe aviation isn't for you talk." I think these are some basic steps that can easily be taken to overcome a students plateau!