It's the old catch 22, you can't make the guy aware so he actually understands or knows what he is doing wrong. With smarter/more aware students, they can understand and eventually correct what they are doing wrong (if you explain and understand it well enough yourself), even if they totally screw it up at first. When the student doesn't/can't, it's the source of much frustration and long hours. Sometimes they eventually get it, sometimes as you say, the end is simply not in sight. Don't want to sound mean, but it's exactly the problem of someone that is "too stupid to know they are stupid", or "not smart enough to know they are not smart", maybe as a better way of putting it.

Sounds like your student is over-thinking and as such task saturated. I'd have him fly with another seasoned flight instructor. Then I would suggest your student spends about 5 hours in an ATD like Redbird with a good sim instructor. See if the student starts to settle down now that he's not flying a real airplane. If your student is still showing no progress, then sit him down, give him an honest assessment and tell him you can't keep taking his money and that he should consider another career. Maybe you can suggest he start flying RC airplanes which may help him figure everything out. One of my sharpest students came to me with over 5 years of RC experience and I solo'd him in 5.5 hours.

Actually the RC thing is not a bad idea. MS Flight sim or similar might also be helpful, although that's better for IFR procedures than stick-and-rudder.

Be honest, have options for him to try other instructors, besides that it is not your job to be a "gate keeper", your job is to teach this guy to land and recognize when he hits that mark. The hours don't matter but the situation changes if he starts pressuring you. I've had two guys that went long past normal, they are now just your normal private pilots.

I had a similar issue years ago, I had the knack of getting all the problem students from other instructors. One of my student started when he 75 years old just wanted to fly. Guy waited his whole life and was finally able to do it financially. The guys passion and love of flying was remarkable.. made instructing very enjoyable.

After about 50 hours and still no solo I sat him down and explained I was willing to keep flying with him but there is a very strong chance he would never get his private or even solo as well the amount of money he would spend. He agreed and kept on flying and did solo but that's as far as it went.

My suggestions would be:

Have him fly with another experienced instructor for a lesson or two, no offense but I have seen students do much better after a change of instructors. Some people mesh some don't.

If he still doesn't progress give him an honest evaluation ... don't sugar coat it but be professional. If he wishes to continue and understands he may not make it and also understands the cost then keep flying with him if that's what he wants but be firm I wouldn't want to see a guy throw thousands of dollars away.

Best of luck

I think i have you all beat.

Hand me down student at 50hrs, not even close to solo. Brilliant man, with computers and books(a CPA, and he loved his tax laws!), machinery just wasn't his thing, but he had the passion and means. Finally soloed I think at 75hrs, and worked his way through. Signed him off at 175TT for check ride and nailed it. He had a mental switch, some days he was on, others like he had never done it. Hard work, patience, and some luck, things will work out.

Now if this guy is going for this as a professional career, might need to reevaluate what's going on.

Good luck

I too was was an instructor that got the students that the more senior instructors knew would be a can of worms. I don't think I can suggest anything that hasn't been said already and to be honest, I really wasn't successful with them. I'll just add that I noticed patterns in many older students, in that they had a very difficult time learning new things. Hell, I'm 30 now and can start to see how that begins.
I had one older student that I later learned had once smoked pot right before his helicopter lesson... not saying that's your situation but do at least entertain the idea, it sounds like this guy is taking his training seriously though. I just mention that because I had suspected something a couple times but was too young and naive to believe that someone would really do that.
If it makes you feel any better, I've been in your situation and I didn't have the balls at 22-23 years old to tell someone my Dad's age that they couldn't hack it. You're doing the right thing by asking for advice. In my situation, they ended up failing their initial PPL checkrides and then it became my problem.