This should normally be a ‘green’ situation for the instructor, and students should progress quite quickly to viewing this as a ‘yellow’ situation. Planning activities for the student are generally limited to the circuit. The only time the instructor should take control is when asking for more intellectual participation from the student. Again, for emphasis, this means that the instructor is not on the controls when the student is practising, and demonstrations are limited.
Intermediate students should be attempting takeoffs and landings. The instructor should be coaching (open tasks), and keeping the student in close control, by taking over at the least sign of difficulty. Once the flying is under control the instructor should hand things back to the student for them to try again. At the end of the intermediate stage the student should be able to fly standard circuits, takeoff and land the aircraft in crosswinds up to 15 degrees off the runway, employing crabs or sideslips for drift control down to 50' above ground to accomplish these goals. The glide path should be controlled with spoilers such that the aircraft is landed within 300' of the desired stopping point. The student should be able to complete all pre-landing checks before the turn from downwind to the base leg. Again, while the student should be doing most of the flying, below 1000', the instructor should be prepared to take over the controls at any time. For emphasis, the general rule is prompt for the correct action once, and if it is not executed, take over, rectify the problem, and then return control to the student (“Don’t fool around below 1000 feet “!).
Intermediate students should be able to round out the aircraft and allow landing in this configuration. Fully held-off landings are likely beyond their skills at this point. Students should be fully involved in
moving the aircraft promptly after landing.