Definition of Ab-Initio Training for purpose of instructor endorsements

[mikewil]

Anyone able to elaborate on the definition of ab-initio in relation to instructors wanting to upgrade from Grade 3 to Grade 2 and Grade 1 training endorsements.

It is obvious that training from Effects of Controls up the RPL is all ab-initio but there appears to be some grey areas for other training.

I was speaking to one HOO working for an organisation that does a large number of TIFs as 'adventure flights' so no real training is really being conducted who had an instructor upgrade to Grade 2 with over 100 of his "ab-initio" hours just being these TIF flights. Same organisation does quite a few conversions from RAAus certificates to GA and they classify much of the training done for this purpose as ab-initio as well as the trainee doesn't officially hold a CASA licence. This one I am on the fence about as many RAAus pilots would present like an ab-initio CASA student anyway with pretty poor flying ability (not all but many, depending on where they trained).

Anyone have any opinions (or definitive answers) on this?

[Munz]

“Ab-initio” flight training has been replaced with the term “initial” flight training. Refer the definitions under 61.010:

“initial flight training means dual flight conducted for training in the units of competency mentioned in the Part 61 Manual of Standards for the grant of a recreational pilot license”