Yeah, and to clear up the confusion I got via PMs, I thought being an "Associate IP" was being at a fleet wing and being farmed out to fleet squadrons to do checks sort of shore tour.
Basically what Phrog said is what I saw in the helo world. We had "instructors" but it was for certain things:
Being an ANI, NVGI, FCP and ATO4 I could "instruct" (more like fly with non-qualed guys and give them their signoffs/checks) and do checkrides, but it was not an all encompassing thing.
ANI = Assistant NATOPS Instructor (had qual, but rarely used it)
NVGI = Night Vision Goggle Instructor - I had more leeway with currency and could make non current guys current and do initial NVG quals
FCP = Fly functional checkflights and give guys signoffs. Checkride done by QAO or MO
ATO = 400 level TAC qual. I could give 1/2/300 level checks/signoffs. Not sure if that is similar across platforms, but 100 was RAG graduate, 200 was H2P, and 300 was the baseline HAC qual.