Safety pilot in and out of IMC

Paul Tomblin wrote:

In a previous article, Ron Natalie said:

Paul Tomblin wrote:

during the vectors to the approach or at the hold. I figured I could take
along a safety pilot, and then when I break out on the approach tell him
he's acting PIC while I put on my foggles and complete the approach, and

It seems reasonable. However, why not leave the foggles on all
the time. It's redundant in IMC, but saves you having to fiddle
with them.


Good point.


There's no need to tell the other pilot to be "PIC", just ask him
to take the controls. There's a difference betweeen operating the
controls and serving as pilot in command.


I don't want him to take the controls. I thought that the non-instrument
rated safety pilot in VMC is acting PIC (and both of us can log PIC since
he's acting and I'm sole manipulator), but obviously he can't be acting
PIC when in IMC.



I'd have to go back and check the regs to be sure, but I don't recall
that the safety pilot has to act as PIC or even should do so.


Matt