CFIs: How do you handle students that don't want to put in the preparation effort and only want to fly?

Posted by wolfstore@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 77 comments

Wanted to get some different opinions on how other instructors would handle a situation like this:

I always do a ground lesson with students on XC planning before we go fly a XC together. Let's say you have a ground lesson with a student and go over XC planning thoroughly with them, you even encourage them if there's something they don't understand to either call/text you or schedule another ground lesson, then plan to have them bring a completed nav log to the flight when you plan to fly the XC.

Student goes home, shows up to the XC flight lesson without ANY nav log or hardly any preparation. What would you do? Would you tell them they can't fly and to do another ground lesson with them on XC planning? Would you go fly with them and let them try to figure how to complete the XC flight on their own (within safety margin ofc)? I'm curious what everyone's preferred "teaching experience" for student's in a situation like this is. I know we as instructors are taught to let students make mistakes as teaching moments, but do you think letting them do the flight when they haven't prepared properly is a good teaching moment or just letting them waste money? Curious everyone's thoughts. Thanks in advance!