Azure, let me make just a couple of comments about your last post. This is not in disagreement, just comments.
They are reasons that some find it a little troubling when the person takes 400 hours to do something that most do in 40-50. I said in an earlier post they are legitimate reasons for this like David pointed out and like I outlined in an earlier post. I was never talking about Sara but the private in general. I made a comment about the elephant in the room which is that they are not much to getting a private license.
The private, is just a starting point for many but, not all. I understand that the private does not have much use in and of itself. In fact I think the sport pilot was introduced for those people that just want to do a few touch and goes and perhaps on a CAVU day go get a hamburger. This is fine with me and the skill level needed is quite low.
Others have asperations of moving on ASAP. They actually want to use an airplane for "something". That something may be a career in flying or perhaps just personal transportation.
The 400 hour student is free to go and do as they wish. Many assume, myself included, that the private will continue to add ratings and get to a point where he can obtain the "something" they are looking for. If it takes 300-400 hours to reach that first little step what are they going to do when they start trying to use the knowledge they should have gained in the period of 50 - 100 hours? In other words the pilot may be pressured to perform as a 400 hour pilot when they are still at the 40 hour level and based on that even at 1000 hours may still be at a normal 150 hour pilot. Some believe this is dangerous. The sport pilot, in part, was to address this problem.
The problem some of us have is there is no safety net for those students that perform at a considerably lower level. Hammer away long enough, anybody can be taught by rote skill how to take off and land an airplane and do a few ground reference manuvers. That does not mean they are solidly on the first rung of the ladder reaching for the next rung. You may only meet minimum standards and just barely have one toe on the first rung.
I and others get accused of being down on rookies or as one said azzhatts (not sure what that is). I can truly say that is not true for me. In my case it is "but by the grace of God". Those of you with a few hundred hours or especially primary students, you just do not have a clue. I have made plenty of mistakes. I hope it has been my training, and judgement that has kept me from bending any sheet metal so far.
Those of you that got the private in a "normal" amount of time and with in a year to 18 months after your private check ride, obtain an instrument rating, I do not worry as much. I look at my own experience and figure if I made it to that first 1000 hours(decades ago but, I do remember) you can too. It is the other students with large hours before they could reach even the lowest rung. The 1000 hour pond is full of alligators and everyone of us that waded through that pond got nipped and chased a little. I hope the "400 hour" student can deal with them also. Do they have the skills, did the instructor have the skills to impart to that student, I do not know. For some of us it causes concern.
This is not condemnation of rookies. Rather it is concern for our fledgeling brothers and sisters. This concern is based on the experience of our journey, a journey you have not taken yet.
To the question on mentoring. The primary phase of instruction is pretty straight forward and quite simple. Either you get it or you don't. Yes, you can have setbacks and need to work an extra hour on certain items but not an extra 40 hours on one task. When that person is solidly on the first rung then I think those that have a lot of the journey behind them can and should reach into their bag of tools (experience) and be willing to give some advice, maybe a little look ahead at the path to be taken, maybe a little preview of the alligators. This is where the mentoring comes in. I am glad to have had some of that and still receive it even now from others.
So, you students and low time private pilots, maybe take a deep breath and consider we may not be azzhatts, or pompous, or down on rookies. It may be actual concern. Just saying.
Ronnie