On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 16:48:00 -0700, "mindenpilot"
wrote:


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
.. .

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text....2.4.5&idno=14
§ 91.109 Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and
certain flight tests.
...
(b) No person may operate a civil aircraft in simulated instrument
flight unless-

(1) The other control seat is occupied by a safety pilot who
possesses at least a private pilot certificate with category and
class ratings appropriate to the aircraft being flown.

seems to permit Simulated instrument flight in VMC without mention of
the PIC having an instrument rating on his pilot certificate. The
question then becomes, is Simulated instrument flight in VMC conducted
under VFR or IFR?



That's the beautiful part of instrument training.
If you have a buddy working on his rating, too, you can both log PIC time on
a trip.
You'd fly it IFR. Of course, it would have to be in VMC.
One way, you're under the hood (logging it as hood time), he's logging PIC.
Then you switch on the way back. Can't beat that.

If neither of you are instrument rated and current you would still be
afoul of 61.3 and you *cannot* fly it IFR. Non-IMC practice
approaches are flown VFR, thus the requirement for the safety pilot to
look out for other traffic and ensure you don't violate cloud
separation, etc. Which also answers Larry's question regarding
simulated flight - it's VFR. If I had a nickel for every time
approach has told me "Maintain VFR at all times at or above two
thousand five hundred until established, cleared GPS 23 approach"...