The Way forward for Flying Instruction in the UK
1 What is the way forward for flight instructing licencing in the UK?
2 GAPAN have an agenda and I attach an extract from the minutes of:-
EDUCATION & TRAINING COMMITTEE - REPORT TO COURT for March 2005
Instructors Sub-Committee:-
'Assistant Pooley has entered into an exchange of correspondence with the Chief Flight Examiner at the CAA concerning the requirements for the issue of a Flight Instructor rating. Some concerns had been expressed that this should not be a "tick in the box" exercise and that an appropriate course should be completed.'
3 At today's rates it costs around £17000 to qualify as a CPL/FI(R).
There is no minimum hours flown requirement or formal qualifications for entry other than to pass a simple flight test!
4 Should we differentiate between type of work carried out by F/I's
A) eg Small flying group / Unlicenced strip / Unpaid FI doing renewals, PPL training for group members / IMC etc. No trial lessons ( ie pleasure flights ). Group members being defined by being share holders / part A/C owners etc. Also should any hours flown in this environment count towards professional licences later?
What should be the FI qualifications for this role, - PPL /FI, 500hrs P1, FI Course, scaled down CPL theory Exams, Class 2 medical. Also should not NPPL training follow on these lines?
B) Busy local flying School operating 7 days a week. Should be as now, paid CPL/FI Class 1 medical but maybe should there be a minimum hours requirement of say 500hrs P1. I think the main issue is on trial lessons (pleasure flights ), The public must be flown by a professional licence holder. Should the role of BCPL F/I holder be redefined?
C) What do we do with professional flight training, Leave it as it is? Seems to work ok?
5 Think its time we all put our thoughts out in the open before 'others' do it for us!
Cheers
Orions***