1. It is not official GAPAN policy, merely a suggestion from the Instructor sub-committee which reports to the Education and Training Committee.
2. The concern is over the quality of flight instructors and the desire to open a career path for professional flight instructors.
3. Some feel that 'here today, going asap to the airlines' hours-builder FIs lower the status of flight instructors.
4. Several organisations are considering proposals to include the right to give remunerated flight instruction as part of the FI Rating privileges (as it currently is for certain aircraft), not simply part of the CPL privileges. Hence a PPL/FI might one day be permitted to give remunerated flight instruction as was once the case. The GAPAN instructor committee are thinking of proposing a different licence rather than modifying FI Rating privileges.
5. There is absolutely no intention of reducing the standards required of a flight instructor. The content of the FI training course would need to be increased to cover relevant technical and regulatory knowledge, but not the entire CPL theory knowledge. There would be a much greater emphasis on personal qualities, the ability to impart instruction and instructional technique than there is at present - the course would certainly be 'harder' but the end product would be a sound FI whose ambitions lie in the field of flight instruction.
6. Were this to come about, we would hopefully have some sound PPL/FIs back, many of whom would have other day jobs, perhaps choosing to instruct one or two days per week or at weekends. The number of hours builders whose life consists of a series of 'trail lessons' whilst they build up hours in order to run off to some airline, never to instruct again, would reduce significantly. The PPL training world would end up with a larger number of FIs who actually want to instruct, rather than FIs who are using their ratings for 'free' hours building. But, of course, having spent a few years instructing, there would be no reason why a PPL/FI couldn't then embark upon CPL qualification.