Grades and Instructor Categories

Shown here is a brief summary of the entitlements of each grade. Please don’t forget that a large amount of training takes place between grades both in the air and on the ground.

• Grade 2 Pilot
  This grade allows a FSC who has achieved AGT or an adult instructor to qualify for a formal pilot grade.
  
  On successful award of G2 a pilot may fly solo out of circuit in accordance with their training and completing any necessary check ride sorties.
  
   

• Grade 1 Pilot
  
  
  On successful award of G1 the pilot is cleared to fly the aircraft as commander in either seat, conduct familiarization sorties and teach the GIC syllabus.
  
   

• C Category Instructor
  
  Successful completion of the C Cat course at Air Cadet Central Gliding School (ACCGS) qualifies a VGS staff member as a Qualified Gliding Instructor (QGI) at their VGS
  
  On completion of this award the C Cat instructor may teach all GIC and GS exercises for which he or she is cleared and conduct the necessary ground lessons.
  
   

• B Category Instructor
  
  On successful completion of this course at ACCGS the instructor is awarded a B Cat whereby he or she is regarded as a competent gliding instructor. This allows the instructor to perform additional duties.
  
  The instructor may now also conduct AGT sorties, perform solo checks for subsequent trainee solo flights, carry out certain training for graded and ungraded pilots, hold a VGS executive post, act as Duty Instructor and the VGS GDSE (if requested to do so by the OC VGS).
   

• A2 Category Instructor
  
  This category acknowledges an instructor as above average. It allows the instructor to perform first solo flight checks and complete test flights following scheduled maintenance and complete the necessary documentation.
  
   

• A1 Category Instructor
  
  This category has no additional privileges except the knowledge that the instructor has completed the highest award possible and is regarded as an exceptional QGI.
  
   

• Senior Supervisor’s Course
  
  This course qualifies A Category instructors for the responsibilities of Flying Supervisor and Executive Duties at their VGS this qualification is recognised by a star suffix to an instructor’s category e.g. A2*. It also allows instructors to conduct certain tests and supervise the flying of all staff.
  
   

• Navigation Instructors Course (NIC)
  
  This course allows instructors to teach map appreciation and basic Pilot Navigation to VGS staff.
  
  Completion of this course allows instructors to fly approved navigation routes at their VGS, teach navigation and they are eligible to become the Unit Navigation Officer (UNO).
  
   

• Transit Qualification (TQ)
  
  This course teaches B Category and above BNC qualified pilots how to safely navigate visually at medium level, in order to ferry aircraft from one location to another.
  
   

• Basic Navigation Course (BNC)
  
  The aim of this course is to introduce pilots to visual medium level navigation using service techniques pilots are taught BNC ground school including MDR (Mental Dead Reckoning) by the end of the course the pilot will be competent to fly the motor glider around a closed navigation circuit. All BNC flying is dual PFL's are not taught at this stage.

Back to Homepage