Based on the feedback from students.

Based on the fact not everyone wants to live in ATL, and there are no positive spaces passes or hotels. If you are a 744 INS you have to commute one direction at least.

If someone is qualified, why not?

Pure BS. Sadly, instructing is based on cost savings. We had tremendous instructors on the 744...some of the best there were. They're almost all gone now because of cost savings. We have a ton of great instructors here at DAL...most of them don't instruct.

Word. If we truly wanted, we could have industry leading instruction. I've been pretty impressed with the guys in the 73 department. There's some dead wood there though.

Yes, it would be cool if there were no cost savings. :)

The way things are right now for a potential instructor:
Instructor has to have the best reviews
Has had instructor experience
Lives in the ATL area
Has experience on the aircraft
If DGS - has 1000 pic on DAL/NWA aircraft

You take any of that out - you introduce risk to training, but it is nearly impossible to have it all.
I just wanted Purple to know that having instructors who can also hold their aircraft would narrow that pool to nothing in some cases.

That is so true. We have given away so much or they just took a lot of "good deal stuff" from us without asking!

Unfortunately, looking ahead and based on the wish lists around here I don't think Delta pilots are in the mood for improving life for SLI's, especially the commuting ones.
My prediction: slightly improved TA#2 will pass at 52% and will have nothing improved for the training dep. Thus the quality of training will stay the same.

Btw, we, commuter DGS dudes, are getting ps travel!

You are incorrect here, Carl.
If you get crappy reviews from pilots you teach you will not be considered a good instructor, and thus an easy find.

It is hard to find good ones based on student reviews.

The students swap instructors and time slots each day. With anonymous surveys how could they knew?

That's going away. The surveys will be student anonymous and specific to the instructor.

The biggest issues we have with standardization are with non-DL DGS instructors for the most part.

I would love to see the DGS thing pared down significantly-- with a few notable exceptions!

SLI pay and scheduling is all spelled out in the PWA. It's on your tablet for your convenience. Section 11.C.3.c covers your question of an FO too junior for the category, he goes in as the plug.