Logbook Question From An Outsider

Greetings,

Would somebody be kind enough to answer a question from this first-time
poster?

Over the years, I've accumulated several dozen hours in Frasca and AST
300 simulators...of course, legally classified as ground trainers. I
have been under the impression that time in these ground trainers does
not count towards my total time. This is borne out by my computerized
logbook which qualifies any time in a "ground trainer" with an asterisk
and does not add it to total flight time.

However, I recently spent time in an AST300 with a very experienced
instructor who said that it does count towards total time, although I
cannot log landings or P.I.C.

What is the correct way to log time in an AST300 or Frasca?

Thanks very much.

-Jim Gorman

Can log: Approaches, Simulated Instrument, Ground Trainer

Cannot log: Landings, Multi-Engine, Pilot-In-Command, Cross-Country,
Total Time.

"Jim" wrote in message
nk.net...
Over the years, I've accumulated several dozen hours in Frasca and AST 300
simulators...of course, legally classified as ground trainers. I have
been under the impression that time in these ground trainers does not
count towards my total time. This is borne out by my computerized logbook
which qualifies any time in a "ground trainer" with an asterisk and does
not add it to total flight time.

However, I recently spent time in an AST300 with a very experienced
instructor who said that it does count towards total time, although I
cannot log landings or P.I.C.

What is the correct way to log time in an AST300 or Frasca?

Whether it counts as total time depends on whether you mean total flight
time or total pilot time.

FAR 1.1:
Flight time means:
(1) Pilot time that commences when an aircraft moves under its own power for
the purpose of flight and ends when the aircraft comes to rest after
landing; or
(2) For a glider without self-launch capability, pilot time that commences
when the glider is towed for the purpose of flight and ends when the glider
comes to rest after landing.

FAR 61.1b12:
Pilot time means that time in which a person-
(i) Serves as a required pilot flight crewmember;
(ii) Receives training from an authorized instructor in an aircraft, flight
simulator, or flight training device; or
(iii) ...

at it does count towards total time

There's no FAA-defined thing called "Total Time". The closest
categories are "Flight Time" and "Pilot Time". Flight Training device
time can be logged as "Pilot Time", but not as "Flight Time".

What the "Total Time" column means in your logbook is up to you. I
consider it "Pilot Time", so I include FTD time.