Training Organisation

  1. BGA Training Organisation
  2. Responsibilities and Safety
  3. Training
  4. Instructor training and support
  5. Instructor certificate validity
  6. Demonstration of ability
  7. Examining
  8. Training programmes, training records and guidance
  9. Forms
  10. Publications and links
  11. Contacts

References on this webpage to Part-SFCL requirements are in the form of ‘SFCL.XXX’. Where Part-SFCL refers to the ‘Head of Training of a gliding club’, within the BGA’s Training Organisation that is the CFI of a BGA member gliding club.

BGA Training Organisation

Gliding instruction takes place within a BGA-wide and legally compliant training organisation that includes the instructors, their CFI’s and their clubs training operation. Each BGA club is responsible for the training that it carries out. This webpage aims to support BGA clubs and their members with direction and guidance.

Responsibilities and Safety

BGA responsibilities. The BGA has governance and organisational responsibilities in support of BGA member clubs which are exercised through agreed and published BGA requirements and guidance.

Instructing and Examining Committee

The primary role of the Instructing and Examining Committee is to advise the BGA Executive Committee and lead on matters relating to gliding training and examining. The committee includes as members all the Senior Regional Examiners as well as other appointed individuals. The committee terms of reference describe the full role.

Chair of the Instructing and Examining Committee

The Chair of the Instructing and Examining Committee is responsible to the BGA Executive Committee for the Instructing and Examining Committee’s activity and works closely with the BGA Head of Training and the Training Standards Manager.

Head of Training

The BGA Head of Training is responsible for overseeing BGA compliance with Part SFCL training requirements.

Training Standards Manager

The BGA Training Standards Manager is responsible for working with CFIs and instructor coaches to establish and develop agreed BGA training standards.

Senior Regional Examiners

The BGA appoints senior regional examiners who provide training and safety guidance to CFI’s, as well as help to co-ordinate examiner activity.

Declared Training Organisation (DTO)

The BGA operates a DTO to provide BGA-facilitated instructor and examiner training and, where needed, to facilitate examination of SFCL theoretical knowledge.

Clubs responsibilities

Club Board / Committee

Flight training takes place under the responsibility of the gliding club board or committee who delegate the management to a CFI. Specifically, the club board or committee should reasonably ensure that:

  • the club has adopted the BGA Safety Management System (SMS) including incident and accident reporting requirements
  • the club’s pilot training is legally compliant
  • all club instructors and pilots undertaking training are aware of the club’s operating and safety requirements, which should be set out in a club site operations manual or similar that is amended as required.
  • the club’s safety systems including the roles of the club, instructors and pilots are clearly described
  • a system is in place to communicate new safety critical information to instructors and student pilots
  • instructors and student pilots are encouraged to report safety related issues experienced during training, including through use of the club occurrence reporting process.
  • a system is in place to ensure that student pilots are adequately supervised and authorised when flying solo.
  • a system is in place to reasonably manage liabilities relating to instructors and passenger carrying pilots, including in respect of their compliance with SFCL rolling recency requirements.

Chief Flying Instructor

A BGA site Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) is selected and appointed by the club chair in consultation with the Senior Regional Examiner.  A BGA CFI is normally the gliding club head of training where that term is used. The CFI can liaise with their local Senior Regional Examiner. The CFI should reasonably ensure that:

  • suitable facilities and resources are available for the training that is taking place
  • adequate numbers of instructors are available to meet the training need
  • the instructors are supported, standardised, and developed
  • club instructors privileges are known and listed to support training needs
  • training records are correctly maintained
CFI specific guidance is available here

 

Instructors

All instructors operate under the oversight of a club CFI. To conduct instruction, they must qualify for the instructing privileges that they are using. They are reasonably responsible for ensuring that they:

  • maintain a valid BI(S) or FI(S) certificate as appropriate
  • only instruct when they are medically fit and comply with the relevant medical requirements
  • only instruct what they are competent and qualified to instruct and meet the rolling recency requirements
  • safely comply with the training requirements

Student pilots

Student pilots are responsible for:

  • making themselves aware of mandatory information and club requirements
  • complying with reasonable directions when participating in club activity
  • only flying when they are medically fit to do so and comply with the relevant medical requirements
  • engaging in self-study of relevant theoretical knowledge

Training

There are several issues that need to be considered during training, including:

Safety. BGA and club safety guidance and resources should be referred to during training.

Theoretical Knowledge and Flight Training. Part SFCL details the theoretical knowledge and flight training syllabus requirements. BGA training programmes support each syllabus by conveniently pulling the detail into one document.

Student pilots gain theoretical knowledge through self-study and ground instruction integrated with flight training. SPL student pilots should own and read a copy of the Student Pilot Manual.

Instructors should arrange flight training so that student pilots receive a logical flow of instruction from the minimum number of different instructors commensurate with the training need.

Formal assessment of SPL theoretical knowledge for the SPL is via BGA club CFI-managed SPL theoretical knowledge exams as detailed in the SPL training programme.

Instructing techniques. Instructors must use acceptable instructional techniques. Part SFCL, the BGA Instructor Manual and the BGA Student Manual refer.

Supervision. Authorisation and supervision of solo flying by student pilots is required under SFCL. The BGA published student pilot solo authorisation form supports compliance by clubs and instructors. Other types of supervision are of course relevant and guidance is published under Managing Flying Risk.

Operating sites. The suitability of a BGA club site for flight training is the responsibility of the operating club.

Training accommodation. A suitable covered briefing facility of adequate size should be available.

Continuity of training. Sufficient instructors should be available to ensure the proper continuity of training for all students.

Training aircraft. Dual flight training should only take place in airworthy aircraft with dual controls.

In determining fleet size, the club should ensure sufficient aircraft suitably equipped and appropriate to achieve continuity of flying training for the number of student pilots.

An occupied seat of a training aircraft should include a suitable energy absorbent impact cushion. Compressible cushions are not acceptable. Fixed ballast weights and seat backs should be made available to support lighter pilots.

All two-seat aircraft used for instruction at BGA clubs must meet the insurance requirement as described in BGA Operational Regulations.

Training records. Training records must be maintained by the club for each student pilot. Access to these formal training records should be limited to those that are receiving and delivering the training. GDPR issues must be considered, e.g. limiting personal data on a student pilot training record card that is usually used on the airfield to the student pilot’s name. The risk of forgery and misrepresented experience should be considered. Electronic or hard copy records are acceptable.

The training records must as a minimum include all the required flight training syllabus exercises. The BGA publishes a BGA recommended student pilot training record card for day to day recording and management of SPL training. A club-modified student record card must of course include all the required exercises. Completion of training is recorded on a course completion certificate that the examiner will need to see ahead of the SPL skill test.

The training record should be retained in hard copy or electronically for a minimum of 3 years.

Transfer of student records. Where agreed by a student pilot, copies of a student training record (not originals) should be made available to another club that is completing training for that student. Such records, which should be certified as correct, should be forwarded to the relevant CFI.

Logbooks. To support the recording of pilot training, student pilots should keep their logbooks up to date. Logbook records of student pilots progress should be signed by the instructor involved.

Use of radio. Although it is not a requirement, pilots are encouraged to train for the Flight Radio Telephony Operators Licence (FRTOL).

Concerns/issues. If at any time an instructor has any questions regarding their role as an instructor, they should seek the advice of their CFI, who in turn can seek advice from the Senior Regional Examiner.

If any instructor or student pilot has any concerns regarding instructing standards, they should bring them to the attention of their CFI. If they are unable to resolve the issue with their CFI, they should contact the BGA Training Standards Manager in confidence via the BGA office.

Instructor training and support

Instructor training is delivered by suitably qualified flight instructor coaches (FICs) delivering the relevant training programme.

Instructor resources are available for use by any BGA instructor. Instructors should only teach what they have been taught to teach.

For more information refer to our Instructors webpages

 

Instructor certificate validity

Instructor privilege validity is maintained through rolling recency of SPL and instructing privileges.

All BGA gliding club instructors are required to hold Instructor ‘membership’ to provide access to BGA support including BGA insurance arrangements. Club CFIs manage instructor membership via the CFI e-tool.

Demonstration of ability

A Demonstration of Ability, for example as required every nine years for FI(S) rolling recency, or to add certain instructing privileges, is delivered by a Flight Instructor Coach authorised to do so.

For more information refer to our Instructors webpages

 

Examining

Several SPL additional privileges, e.g. basic aerobatics, include continuous assessment by the instructor and completion of training to an acceptable standard, are certified in the candidates logbook by the CFI, i.e. with no involvement by a Flight Examiner.

An assessment of competence or a skills test is carried out by a Flight Examiner (Sailplanes). An FE(S) is initially authorised by the CAA to assess pilots for the SPL. Additional examining privileges, for example examining an FI(S), may be added based on experience (see SFCL.415).

The SFCL Flight Examiner Handbook describes examining standards.

Any instructor who is interested in becoming an examiner is advised to read the requirements in SFCL ahead of seeking FE(S) standardisation training.

Examiner information and resources are available here

 

Looking for an SFCL examiner?

CAA authorised SFCL Flight Examiners (SFCL) can be found here.

Clubs that need advice on accessing a suitably qualified FE(S) can in the first instance contact their SRE. The BGA office can also advise.

Training programmes, training records and guidance

Note – these training programmes are only for use by BGA gliding clubs. They are not Part-DTO compliant. BGA copyright.

Sailplane Pilot Licence (SPL)

SPL additional privileges

Basic Instructor (Sailplanes)

Flight Instructor (Sailplanes)

FI(S) additional privileges

Flight Examiner (Sailplanes)

Optional (recommended by the BGA)

Forms

SPL

Instructors

Examiner use

Publications and links

Safety

Manuals

Regulation

General

Contacts

Refer to our contacts webpage here.