But by forcing people to instruct to gain 700 hours, how is that keeping a cadre of experienced FI's? All that happens is you get hour builders who disappear after a year or so.
That is rubbish for the industry and a prime reason why you get so few "career" FI's. People were forced into instructing, not because they wanted to, but because they HAD to.
If anyone thinks that reintroducing forced instructing is a way to get better standards, they are delusional.
At least now more of the FI's that are coming through actualy think there is something to gain from teaching, rather than just as a stepping stone.
I have been very impressed with some of the "new" FI's I have seen this year, far, far better than a lot of the people I started instructing with.
Whilst there may be a shortage, it does seem as if the standard is finally starting to go up a bit.