Yup holding on... and just for a little background on why I say what I have said.
First job in aviation was as a fixed wing instructor at Burnside-Ott Aviation Training Academy at Opa-Locka Florida. Dug the log books out just to check figures. At the time the largest Civilian Flight School in the US.
Went on the 26th June 1969, with a UK PPL and 139 hrs to get my US Commercial Instrument and Multi ratings.
Did the commercial and twin check rides on the same day with the FAA, not the school designee, on the 2nd August 1969 at 212hrs.
Went on with Instrument rating, completed on 11th Sept 1969 at 240 hrs TT.
My Instructor then talked me into doing the Instructor rating. Check ride passed with FAA 22nd Oct 1969 at 290 hrs.
Then running out of money but Chief Instructor offered me a loan to do the Instrument Instructor with the offer of a job with the school if I did, and to comply with Immigration regs had to sign on to do the ATP. So began the Instrument Instructor.
At that time had also done a basic aerobatic course with a small school on the field called Taildraggers. The owner asked if I could do some Instruction for him with a Young Eagles program he had with a local boys military academy/school, so began that together with some basic aerobatic training, while doing the double I at Burnside.
Instrument Instructor check-ride with FAA 16th Jan 1970 at 435hrs. Then began full time Instruction with Burnside on the 20th Jan after some checks with the school's Chief Instructor.
First students were started at 06:30 with T.O at 0700 times were TO to Touchdown and did not include taxi time. with around 4 to 5 students a day, every day, two evenings a week until 10:00pm for night flying. And every weekend either a Sat or a Sun. at the school.
School had around 90 Cessna 150's, 25 172's, 5 Twin Comanches, 5 Lake Amphibians, 1 Cessna 310, 2 Beech 18's, 3 DC3's.
The airfield at that time had around 3,000 movements a day and was a regular Coast Guard base, and had excess jets based there.
Taught on all types except the Beech 18 and DC3, that included types that some student came to the school with.
Finally met the requirements for the ATP and had to take that on 14th June 1971 and at that time had 2188 hrsTT and had taught over 200 students on various course types and ratings. It was a very intensive time and certainly gave me a massive insight into student behaviour and in the development of my own flying education.
I continued to instruct in the various airline and executive jobs I have done since then, and studied as an assistant gyro instructor after getting my gyro PPL simply to help out with our group, but have not continued with that as we dispersed when we lost the use of RAF Little Rissington, I don't have a two seat gyro, or the financial incentive, and am retired. I have flown many fixed wing types, and a number of gyro types including the AR1 with Greg. Academically pretty simple, but a lot of practical flying and instructional experience on many types of fixed wing and gyro so I am perhaps slightly aware of the differences that I speak of, always acknowledging my very low time on gyros.
I have personally known 5 pilots who have lost their lives in gyros in my 10 or so years in gyros, about 2 who lost they lives in the 50+ years of fixed wing. In my very limited time with single seat gyro instruction I have been acutely aware of when to release pilots to go solo. In my fixed wing days my average students would solo between 6-8 hrs, very much longer with the few that I have taken to a solo stage in gyros. There is much more involved with simply taking a gyro off than a fixed wing, and I have never believed in by the numbers, monkey see monkey do, type instruction.
By the way how many types of single seat gyros have you flown?
You have made excellent points with starting age, not many young, too many old farts (like me) with high FW time and zero rotary/gyro. Possibly with Instructors giving in to pressure, which does certainly skew the statistics. But having had my say...still acknowledge the massive amount that I do not know and always ready to listen to what you have to say.