Safety pilot in and out of IMC

Dan Luke wrote:
: As long as you're flying an IFR clearance, I see no problem with it. Are you
: doing it just so you can log the time in actual? Whenever I'm doing practice
: approaches in such conditions, I just keep the foggles on the whole time.
: --

There's one potential problem with this that I can see. If you're trying to
both log PIC time (which is what it sounds like), there's a potential issue. Remember
that in order to both log PIC time, you must agree with each other beforehand that
while you are under the hood, he is ACTING as PIC (and thus legally responsible for
the safe outcome of the flight). Since two pilots are required for that portion of
the flight, his ACTING as PIC allows him to LOG PIC, while your manipulation of the
controls of an aircraft for which you are rated allows you to also LOG PIC for the
same time.

If your safety pilot has an instrument rating, this is fine. If the safety
pilot does NOT have an instrument rating, then you would legally have to terminate IFR
upon entering VMC in order for him to ACT as PIC. No person may accept an IFR
clearance without an instrument rating, whether in VMC or IMC. If you continue to fly
in VMC on and IFR clearance, you must still be ACTING as PIC while you manipulate the
controls so the safety pilot cannot log the time.

Conversely, if you were NOT on an IFR clearance, while it would be legal for
him to ACT as PIC in VMC, you would not be able to enter IMC without first getting a
clearance.

It sounds complicated, but I finally think I have the ACTING vs. LOGGING PIC
time thing figured out. Feel free to poke holes in the logic.

-Cory


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