This is my target market. The ones I keep don't quibble about the rate. They demand high value from me otherwise they'd be gone immediately, usually without notice. They can afford to learn how to fly and usually can buy their own aircraft and maintain it well.

I disagree on the decreased capacity to learn. The learning is more deliberate in the experienced crowd and their life experience makes them more respectful of the learning and flying environment.

However, I do notice a significant learning difference between those that are between businesses and those that are actively working their business(es). Those that are enjoying the break are not fatigued. They have 100% of their attention focused on learning. They don't have seven more meetings to attend after our 5 PM lesson having started at 6 AM that morning. They can do their homework.

The executive that has an active business and the challenges that go along with it may be flying just for the sheer recreation of it. If it is one lesson a week, I'm fine with that, so long as they can do two lessons, even if on the same day, during the occasional week that needs more attention. Landing is one of those topics that requires more attention. I've usually already advised the student that we're not in a race to solo at "x" hours. If they are, then they'll need to spend more time on flying and less with their business.

So, we'll make a lunch date out of it. We'll fly in the morning. This might start out in the practice area where we'll review rudder control and trim. Move on to slow flight and stalls. We'll run the rudder coordination exercises to refresh the brain and muscle control. This exercise focuses the attention. If there is a wicked crosswind somewhere, we'll fly to it and work landing approaches for a bit, to the crosswind runway. This too focuses attention. (Note: If an excessive wind, we won't land, the exaggerated control use drives home the visual cues and control usage needed, and everyone needs go-around practice.)

After the workout, we'll head somewhere fun and have lunch. I've learned to order a fast-eaten meal, as I'll be conducting groundschool throughout. Knives and spoons become the runways, parts of the pattern, the wind, and so on. Salt and pepper shakers and coffee cups are great for the various landmarks.

Following lunch, we'll head back to home base (unless the closer we get the more distracted the student) and work the pattern for a bit, the goal is "scaring the runway" typically. The previous flight and ground session loosened the rust and now the student can spend some time learning. We may only do three landing approaches, but in terms of learning, this is Grade A+ time. Depending on how things are going, we'll either do full stops and taxi back, my taking the taxi so the student can listen, or I'll take it on the climbout if we're "scaring the runway". If I'm flying, the student can listen.

"Scaring the runway" makes conducting low approaches fun, the goal to get slower and lower each time, until finally, we touch down. I'll take control of the throttle on final while the student works the controls. As we get closer to the roundout, float, and flare, the student's job will be to continue "holding it off," not allowing the aircraft to land. This increases the practice time of the float and flare from about 3-6 seconds per pattern to nearly 30 seconds with a long runway. If the controllers are particularly cranky about little aircraft using their long runway, I'll call ahead and arrange this for a less busy time. If it is really slow, the tower may put their trainee on, so my trainee can mess up their trainee and vice versa. As the student gets better with their coordination, I've have them deliberately move off centerline laterally to fly over the TDZE markers or a distance stripe, then back on to centerline.

If we've done a few patterns and the student seems to have the hang of the roundout, float, and flare, one time I'll simply leave a bit of the power on, we'll touch down, and I'll reduce the power to idle. We end on that success. Having the success to remember for the week until the next lesson increases motivation and makes it far more likely for the student to return and even progress. Success building success is no different from the 6 y/o to the 60 y/o.

BTW, the recently retired guys I fly with aren't retired for long. They're always looking for the next project/business/opportunity.