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Becoming an NCC instructor
Written by Pete Read.
There are two paths to becoming an NCC instructor:
1. Attend our schools as a student to qualify for the Instructor Academy
(IA) training program. The IA helps polish skills which are then scored
during normal drivers' school days. When the required scores are met
and the Chief Instructor is satisfied, the candidate becomes a NCC
instructor.
At the schools students are evaluated on attitude, etiquette, mechanics
and skidpad. The basic requirements for entry into IA are 15 days
experience and scores of at least 4.2 out of 5 in the first three areas,
and 2.9 on the skidpad. At that point the student gets a letter
inviting them to consider joining the Instructor Academy. The
graduation requirements are attitude, etiquette, mechanics and skidpad
scores of 4.9, 4.9, 4.7, 4.0 respectively and 35 days of experience.
2. Qualify as an experienced outside (of NCC) instructor. The procedure
includes recommendation by a current NCC Instructor, an application
requiring a minimum of 50 days track experience with 25 days track
instructing experience, and a track check-out.
If the Chief Instructor is satisfied with the application and
recommendation, a scored track/skidpad check-out is scheduled during the
afternoon of an instructor training day. The standards for attitude,
etiquette, and mechanics are the same as for IA graduation.
Most of our instructors come through the student path, even if they
instruct for other groups while attending our schools as students.
However, we have had a number of instructors qualify through the
"experienced outside instructor" process.
Bill Shook is the Chief Instructor, so he handles inquiries from
experienced outside instructors. If you believe that you qualify as an
experienced outside instructor, he can provide you with an instructor
application package which has all the details.
I shouldn't take the bait, but .....
Quote:
Originally Posted by OwnedbyDuncan
Barry,
I can think of numerous NCC instructors have 10 to a 100times more skidpad time than you do. I for one have never been impressed with BSR instructors
Dave Apker
Dave,
FWIW, I can't imagine that anyone has as much skiddpad time as I have, but even if your right, so what?.
Way back in the early 1990's I took the BSR 5-day Instructor training course and I can tell you, there is no equal. That course is known around the world for it's very specialized training. You master every skill taught in a BSR course so you can teach it. Check out their menu of courses at www.bsr-inc.com and you'll see just about everything imaginable.
After 9/11, the demand for some of their courses has increased dramatically, and I only wish I had the time to go back and teach some of that stuff.
But, back in the years when I was teaching the full menu of BSR courses I found myself teaching forward and reverse 180's all day long. Neat stuff, and the full-time BSR Instructors were the most professional you could find.
I suspect that the BSR Instructors you're talking about are the part-timers who teach for the FATT program. I admit that, in the past, there have been some FATT Instructors who weren't as experienced as we'd like to see, but that's changing.
For 2006 BSR has selected a group of very experienced instructors and designated them as Senior Instructors. And, at least two of us are NCC instructors. This new group will mentor the newer and less-experienced Instructors. Yesterday, we spent a full day on the Shenandoah with the BSR staff developing the training methods the Senior Instructors will use for the 2006 season.
Then on 1/28/06 and again on 2/25/06 the BSR staff will have all day clinics for the regular FATT Instructors and the Senior Instructors will be participating heavily.
But, look Dave, it's not a contest. The NCC has some very fine instructors, but so do a lot of other clubs, and now, I can assure you that the FATT Instructors you see in 2006 will be as good as any.
Barry, I was an instructor at the HypeRfest Drifting School
"I was one of the Instructors at the Drifting School at the last Hype-R Fest. That School included a lot of skidpad time."
I saw Brian Hair there and certainly enjoyed the time spent thrashing the BSR cars on the "pistol grip" section of the Shenendoah with him. After the initial run through of each student, I moved over to the Skidpad area to instruct any students who wanted help. Few would accept the offer. I never saw you there. I never saw any instructors doing laps on the skidpad (although I did steal 5 laps in a students Sylvia).
On the other hand, when I was coming up through the NCC schools, I had easily 10 Fridays with so much skidpad time I got sick of doing laps. To this day, hardly a Summit Point track event passes without me sneaking to the skidpad for some play time. I have never seen you there at any NCC, NJ, Delaware Valley, Corvette, Mini, Audi, or BSR events.
Pete's comments may not cover EVERY potential instructor, but it is generally true that NCC kadets get more skidpad time than other instructors. I have found the NCC graduates are usually running the skidpad for NJ and DVC schools.
The NCC stress on skidpad training made itself clear on the amazing Jefferson Circuit event of 2005. The instructor runs looked like a drift event with 3,4,or 5 guys drifting up the hill to turn 5 within inched of each other with no drama. The level of car control displayed by most of the people who chose to show it off was impressive. I think this is the event that afterwhich you proclaimed the track had been lubricated by peanut oil!?!?
