: or conventions are. For example, I don't necessarily agree that my friend
: who has no complex endorsement should be able to log PIC-complex time when
: he flies the Cutlass with me as a CFI next to him, but he can according to
: the FARs, and when I instruct him, both the PIC and complex columns are
: filled in.

I think that the complex endorsement thing is somewhere where the FAR's
actually do what seems to be the "right way." It's hard enough (in both convenience
and expense) to get the time necessary to satisfy *insurance* requirements these
days... let alone FAR-mandated time requirements. The ability to manipulate the
controls of an aircraft for which you are rated, yet not legally allowed to act as PIC
for (complex/high-performance, no BFR, no medical, etc) lets people fly cheaper and
gain more experience in flying and in different aircraft. If they had to rent a
suitable aircraft and instructor for absolutely everything, they would be much less
inclined to casually learn things at a slower rate. You can bet your ass that if I'm
paying over $150/hour to rent a complex aircraft and instructor to get an endorsement,
I'm not going to fly it a second longer than I have to. If I can fly in a friend's
complex for the cost of (half) the fuel and a burger, I'll enjoy the flight and learn
more. The FARs dictate minimum time, but it's the *experience* and *proficiency* of
the pilot that is the intent.

/rant

-Cory


--

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