Sport pilot to the rescue!

Take a look at the NPRM for sport pilots. You'll notice
that the requirements for a current power CFI to
become a glider "sport" CFI are simply two
endorsements from two different already "glider" CFIs.
No checkride required.

So once this rule is in effect, you can make a
power CFI into a glider "sport" CFI in a single
day with no FAA paperwork or checkride.
Just get two CFIGs to fly with him/her and write
endorsements.

Then have this "new" sport CFI do the pre-solo, solo,
and training for students. Then when the student has
the requirements for the private, send the student up
with a CFIG for a progress check and sign off.
The "sport" glider time and training will count
towards this private rating (at least that's what
the NPRM proposes).

Alternately, if the student already has a Private power license,
once they're signed off for aerotow and glider current,
they can fly experimental gliders with passengers.
61.31(k)(iii) exempts holders of pilot certificates
from PIC category and class requirements in experimentals,
but does not exempt currency or endorsements required.

Caveats are the experimental limitations can't restrict the
pilot to only those with category and class, and
the insurance company. But this is already
possible under the current rules.

Probably better is to teach an already power pilot
enough to sign off for aerotow and glider solo,
then endorse the pilot as a "sport" pilot in
category and class and make and model.
Then they can take one passenger in that sport glider.

I wonder if any of this will make it past insurance
companies, though. If not (if the insurance guys
only want CFIGs instucting) then all this is moot and
your back to the (fairly rare) CFIG.

The actual pure "sport" glider license itself
is absurd. A prereq is 25 mile cross-country training,
which includes flight solely by reference to
instruments. This is much more than the requirements
for the Private glider. Hopefully the NPRM doesn't
reflect the final rule and all glider X-C references
will be deleted.

http://www1.faa.gov/avr/afs/sportpilot/index.cfm