At first, I wasn't following you, Avbug, but at the end you and I agree.
I'm from the camp that believes that "instructor" is only an FAA term, and that every "instructor" should be a teacher.
I'm sure that 328 dude has learned a lot from his freight experiences, and his experienced captains as he progressed along. Certainly, his lack of an instructional background was not an impediment to gathering experience. He has likely flown with some people who have taken on the role of instructor by the nature of their job. For instance, when I flew with my father as a youngster I learned by quietly watching him, and imitating his actions when he allowed me to do so. I had no textbook, only a pile of Flying magazines on the window sill in the bathroom. As we flew, he was completely absorbed in his duties, as he had no experience as an instructor, and was completely unprepared to answer my questions. He probably answered his instructor's questions when he was in training because he had to.
My contention is this, and of course others are free to occupy a different position:
1) When you teach flying, or anything for that matter, you are forced to quickly attain a greater understanding of the entire process. As a pilot, you are brought up to speed quickly, as every student question is like a little oral exam. You find the "holes" in you knowlege, and quickly fill them. You make associations in concepts that had somehow escaped you. You not only get to see yourself in your students, but you get to see the growing process of others who digest experiences in different ways. Those are benefits to any pilot, and I don't think it's a stretch to conclude that a pilot is better for having had those experiences. That's not a criticizm of those who never instructed, just an observation, based on flying with both types.
2) As above, I have found the captain who has a background in flight instruction makes learning about the aircraft I am currently flying both easier and more intuitive. He has a comfortable familiarity with passing information to the pilot in the other seat, maintaining situational awareness while speaking and demonstrating a process, and has little problem with flying the airplane through the hands of someone else. It makes for an altogether more positive and fruitful experience. It is, in summary, something he has done before.
Sure, I could be wrong about this generalization, and there are exceptions to almost every rule. I know that I am a better pilot for having given instruction, and I know that I am a better FO for the times I am paired with a captain who has instructed. Since I feel that I am in no way unique, I think my conclusions can be extended to others in similar situations.
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) one can get looked over because there is no CFI ticket in the background.
