Dave Butler wrote:
: To begin with, there is no safety pilot when the pilot flying is not under the
: hood. So your "Can the safety pilot..." question doesn't make sense.

: Aside from that, there is no requirement that the acting PIC is actually
: manipulating the controls. Anyone aboard with the proper credentials can act as PIC.

I feel obligated to point out the parallel situation of "safety pilot" logging
PIC. Consider a MEL-rated pilot acting as PIC with his buddy with SEL-rating flying
while enroute. Neither one can legally log PIC time if you interpret the regs
literally. The acting PIC cannot because he's not physically manipulating the
controls. The SEL-rated guy cannot because although he is manipulating the
controls, he is not rated in the aircraft.

Same way with a non-pilot manipulating the controls. I believe the FARs
specify this as illegal so the SEL/MEL example may be illegal as well.

-Cory

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* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
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