The BGA Instructor Rating Revalidation Process

The BGA self-regulates, standardises and delivers gliding instruction within the BGA training organisation through the clubs, their CFI’s and a large number of fundamentally volunteer instructors and examiners. The liabilities of instructors who are using a valid BGA instructor rating, and where not covered by the two seat glider’s mandatory third party cover, are insured through a central BGA insurance policy. BGA Laws and Rules describe the instructor revalidation requirement and that instructors are responsible for ensuring through their CFI that they hold a valid rating before carrying out instruction.

All CFI's are allocated personal log on details and a password that enables them to access current details of their club instructors rating validity via a web-tool. This same web-tool is used by CFI's to revalidate instructor ratings up to 90 days before the rating expires without any loss of validity period. Any rating not revalidated by the date of expiry automatically lapses and is no longer valid unless renewed by a BGA examiner.

A BGA instructor rating is valid for 12 months (plus any revalidation anticipation period up to 90 days).

Revalidating an Instructor Rating

Up to 90 days before the date of expiry of the rating, the instructor;

• Confirms to their CFI their flying experience in the previous 12 months and the date of their last 5 year refresher course
• Asks their CFI to revalidate their instructor rating

Advice re the Refresher Course Date

All instructors must complete a refresher course every five years. Providing a 5 year refresher took place within 5 years of the revalidation, that particular revalidation requirement described in Laws and Rules has been met. An instructor renewal test by a BGA examiner or a full rating test is equivalent to a 5 year refresher course.

When does the flying experience apply from and to?

The revalidation flying experience requirement applies to the 12 months prior to the point at which the revalidation occurs.

For example;

An instructor rating is due to be revalidated by 1 October 10

• On, say,  17 Aug 10 (ie within 90 days before expiry), the CFI and instructor confirm that the minimum  revalidation requirement has been met with the flying hours and launches achieved in the 12 months prior to 17 Aug 10
• The CFI carries out the online revalidation

The rating is now due to be revalidated by 1 October 11

How does an instructor know when his or her rating is due to lapse?

Instructors who first obtained a rating after Oct 2009 will find that their rating will lapse 12 months after it was issued. To spread the existing ratings through the calendar year, instructors who first obtained a rating before Oct 2009 currently have validity periods of 12 months or longer (see table below). The same dates will apply year on year thus bringing all instructors back into a 12 month cycle.

Each club CFI has access to up to date rating validity information via the web-tool – if an instructor is unsure of their rating revalidation due date, they should ask their CFI and note the date in their logbook and/or diary. Providing the BGA has the instructors correct email details, a number of weeks before their rating lapses the BGA will send the instructor an email with a reminder of how to revalidate.

How does a CFI know when a rating is due to lapse or has lapsed?

The list of instructors on the CFI's web-tool identifies the validation and lapsing date for each club instructor. NB. If an instructor's name does not appear on the CFI's web-tool list, the CFI should contact the BGA office for advice.

Renewing a Lapsed Basic, Assistant and Full Instructor Rating

An instructor rating that has not been revalidated by its due date will lapse immediately after that date. Basic, Assistant & Fully Rated Instructors who wish to renew their lapsed rating must, at the request of their CFI, be renewed by a BGA Examiner.

Is a valid medical required to revalidate an instructor rating?

No. But you must of course hold a relevant valid medical certificate to carry out airborne instruction.

What about the 3 year standardization flying?

Laws and Rules note that instructors are required to have a ‘standardisation check with their CFI or an Examiner in the third year following the last 5 year refresher course’. Standardisation checks or refresher training should be recorded in the instructor’s logbook.

Revalidating/Renewing a BGA MGIR Rating

The BGA MGIR is not a stand-alone rating but has a revalidation/renewal requirement. For more information please check the motor gliding section.

Applicability of BGA MGIR Instructing Hours to Gliding Instructor Rating Requirements

With the agreement of the SRE, 5 hours of relevent SLMG instructing may count towards the toal required instructional hours in the Revalidation Requirements table below.