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
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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
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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.