Sorry but that 5 hours per year in the cockpit observing WHAT? Sounds very lame but I'm not trying to pick a fight with that group as to dispatchers priverledge. Technicians have taxi, run up, plus fix the planes pilots fly. Nobody is more qualified in the cockpit aside a pilot than a technician. It is what it is. FAA makes the rules for whatever purpose. Maybe some technician ticked off a pilot while jumpseating, who knows.