woodja51
I truly enjoyed your reply and the sensibility of your comments. I wholeheartedly agree with your expanded comments and more clearly understand your original post. I also appreciate your not misunderstanding my comment and taking it the wrong way. Good on you mate.
In my organization, whether or not you have previously taught, whether or not you have even commanded a jet transport in scheduled ops before, you won't get to the classroom without thorough training as a trainer. It takes quite a legitimate effort and I'd say a professional attitude and approach to get someone up-to-speed. Six months at a minimum. There are a number of observations along the way before you're signed off to teach your first ground school to a crew. Once you've completed your 'apprenticeship' as a Ground School Instructor, you can move on to the sim. We're at least allowed to determine when we're comfortable with moving on. That transition could take as much as a year depending on individual background and experience. Which is another monkey see, monkey do exercise, followed by further evals before being cut loose to instruct as a fully qualified SFI/TRI. Generally speaking, I'd say we've got a helluva buncha quality instructors where I work, and it shows in the critiques.
I know this approach to qualifying instructors works and it works well. I've never known an aircraft as well or as thoroughly as I know my present aircraft.
For those who may make it beyond the check airman's sign off and who actually don't do a good job of instructing, the student critiques usually indicate where the cream of the crop can be found. Too many unfavorable reviews and I'm afraid you're done like dinner. Maybe EK needs to have their crews under training critique their trainers. For they are the ones who truly know what they need and whether or not the instructor delivered the goods.
For the record, there have been numerous times when I've had to abandon the IOS to jump into a flying seat and demo V1 cuts, profiles, stall recognition, high dives, you name it. Because sometimes, as you've stated, monkey see-monkey do, is sometimes all that works.
For those companies who think a seasoned line Captain automatically makes a good instructor, let me say this...
what a fool believes.
Willie
