Originally Posted by
vanHorck
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Perhaps all new FO's should be obliged to do a minimum of 500 hours of instruction at a glider or GA club in their spare time before becoming eligible for Captain promotion?
500 hours instructing? In their spare time? Ye gods - I guess that's one way of making sure no-one gets to be an FO until they have grey hair.
The only person who gets anywhere near that amount at your average gliding club is the
full-time paid instructor. Part-time instructors might do 5 hours a week (at most) for a few months a year - most do far far less, and it would take them 10 or more years to get to 500 hours instructing.
If you asked for a Silver 'C' you might be nearer the mark - a Silver 'C' pilot is someone who is a competent glider pilot able to fly in moderately demanding conditions, who can sustain soaring flight (on the right day!) and with the confidence to go out of glide range of the launch site, and select a field (a good field one hopes) and execute a field landing if necessary.