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FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL 5 of the instructor, who too frequently in such cases, allows himself to resort to vehemence or to exhibit exasperation. Such a student, if not properly handled, can do immense damage to the instructor in his relations with other students and their confidence in him. It must be remember that slowness in a student is no indication that he cannot learn to fly. "Slow starters" often outstrip their quicker fellows, and the methodical type who experiences difficulty in learning more often than not retains his knowledge of the thing learned long after the "quick student" has forgotten it. Too often such a student's suspicion of the instructor may be founded on fact. If the instructor is really competent, he will find a way to get the idea over to the student and, by encouragement, help him over the rough spots. Many excellent pilots were slow in learning, but in the end developed much better technique and judgment than some of those who were more apt. Many factors affect aptitude for flying. Mental brilliance seems to be absent from these, however, since there are many pilots with brilliant minds who are only mediocre in their technique and judgment, while others of average mentality exhibit uncanny skill. Age and habits of life play in important part. As age increases the senses becomes more firmly fixed in their relationship, and some of them undoubtedly deteriorate. Reaction time increases, and it required greater and longer effort for the adjustments and correlation to be effected. While the saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is not true, it does take longer. The nervous and high-strung student and the slow, plodding type present many of the same difficulties to the instructor, and it is with these types that the instructor is called upon to exert all of his ingenuity. Their progress is liable to be erratic or slow, and require great tenacity of purpose on the part of both instructor and themselves. Success with this type of student is of inestimable value to the instructor, as he will learn more about the art of instructing, and flying as well, from the result of his efforts with such cases than is possible in any other way. Such experience is worth all the time and trouble necessary to gain it, for it forms a background and training for future dealings with other students. The capable instructor will try in every way to keep personalities from affecting his attitude. His sense of responsibility must be so developed that he will try to be even more conscientious than usual with a student who personality clashes with his. PROMOTING EASE AND RELAXATION Flying requires an alert mind an body relaxed, yet poised to react to any sensory stimuli. It requires freedom from worries, doubts, apprehensions, or any inhibitions that may affect thought, perception, reaction time, or mental and muscular coordination, or such expression of mental reactions. This condition is known as "at ease in the air," though it is probably different from any other conception of the word "ease." The normal environmental apprehensions incident to flight training respond to instruction and experience. With the normal student,