Instructors

SAC STANDARDS for INSTRUCTOR CLASSIFICATIONS

The Association issues three levels of instructor classifications to pilots who are members of Association clubs and who have successfully completed an Association-approved instructor course. A class III classification is issued to beginner instructors when they first receive their Transport Canada (TC) endorsement to their glider pilot licence. After achieving more experience and attending a refresher or upgrade clinic an instructor may be issued a Class II (basic instructor) or Class I (advanced or senior instructor) classification. These classifications are issued by and records are kept by the FTS Committee. All classifications are valid for three years, and may be renewed upon application.

	Class I	Class II	Class III
Training required	SAC Upgrade Clinic conducted by SAC Instructor Course Director	SAC Upgrade Clinic, or Training within the club by two SAC Class I instructors	SAC Instructor Course; or SAC-Approved course of instructor training within the club plus check flights and exam by a SAC Course Director (CFI to apply to FTS Committee member for details)
Pass mark in SAC Instructor Exam	70%	70%	60%	60%	60%
Badge required	Silver	Bronze
No. of hours gliding time (solo or instructing)	200	50	20	15 PPL or Commcl	10 – Flight Instructor Rating - Aeroplanes
No. of hours instructing in gliders	100	25	N/A	N/A	N/A
No. of gliding flights, Pilot-in-Command; incl. min. of 10 rear seat flights		200	100 – air tow 150 – winch	75 – a 125 – w	25 – a 50 – w
Privileges	As for Class II, plus may send students for first solo flights. May provide advanced training such as cross-country and, following additional training, may train pilots to become instructors.	May instruct students up to and beyond solo stage. May send a student solo with second recommendation from another Class II or Class I instructor. May train pilots for passenger carrying and cross-country flight.	May instruct students up to and including solo stage, but may not send a student for a first solo flight. May recommend students for a first solo flight to a more senior instructor.
Currency	During the previous season, minimum required number of instructing flights - 20

Currency. To retain the current classification of his or her club instructors, the club CFI is to certify to the FTS Committee by the end of May each year that the pilot is still competent to instruct at the current level. If the instructor has not maintained currency in the previous season, check flight(s) are to have been conducted within the previous 6 months to make this certification. Use the attached form; if it is e-mailed a signed copy of the form is to be kept on file at the club.

To upgrade a pilot from Class III to Class II, the instructor may attend an SAC upgrade clinic, or he or she may be upgraded by the club CFI, plus one other Class II or Class I instructor. The club CFI is to apply to the FTS Committee for such an upgrade, using this form.

To upgrade a pilot from Class II to Class I, the instructor must attend a SAC upgrade clinic, usually run in conjunction with instructor courses by a national course director who will make the requisite recommendation for the upgrade and will inform the club CFI accordingly.

As an alternative, the club CFI may request a Class I upgrade clinic be run at his/her club. Contact a member of the Flight Training and Safety Committee closest to you, and suitable arrangements will be made.