Logging Safety Pilot Time and Cross Country Time

[MichaelCPS]

Not to stir the pot on this subject, but I just had a lengthy discussion at the FSDO with my 141/135 POI. His position on the subject was that yes, you can log PIC time as a safety pilot. However, the safety pilot time should always be less than the total of the other pilot's time as the flying pilot does not taxi or or takeoff under the hood. He also stated that since the safety pilot typically does not make any landings, the safety pilot cannot log cross country time. Also, if the flight is under IFR and enters IMC, only the flying pilot can log the actual time and the safety pilot must stop the clock as far as logging PIC goes.

What do you think?

Michael

[tgrayson]

However, the safety pilot time should always be less than the total of the other pilot's time as the flying pilot does not taxi or or takeoff under the hood.

A bit ticky, but hard to argue with that.

He also stated that since the safety pilot typically does not make any landings, the safety pilot cannot log cross country time.

That was the position of the old Part 61 FAQ's, but let's highlight the word "typically". That doesn't mean "never" or "cannot". Let the safety pilot land the plane and the objection is moot.

if the flight is under IFR and enters IMC, only the flying pilot can log the actual time and the safety pilot must stop the clock as far as logging PIC goes.

Well, sure, you don't need a safety pilot in IMC.

Nothing fundamentally wrong with what he said, IMO.

[MichaelCPS]

Originally Posted by tgrayson

That was the position of the old Part 61 FAQ's, but let's highlight the word "typically". That doesn't mean "never" or "cannot". Let the safety pilot land the plane and the objection is moot..

But then the guy who was flying the flight as the sole manipulator of the controls the entire time can't log cross country, right?

[tgrayson]

Originally Posted by MichaelCPS

But then the guy who was flying the flight as the sole manipulator of the controls the entire time can't log cross country, right?

Why can't both pilots make landings?

[MichaelCPS]

Originally Posted by tgrayson

Why can't both pilots make landings?

That is fine if they do two separate landings, each of which is at least 50nm from the original point of departure.

How many pilots out there are doing that?

[tgrayson]

Originally Posted by MichaelCPS

That is fine if they do two separate landings, each of which is at least 50nm from the original point of departure.
How many pilots out there are doing that?

They would first have to be aware there is an issue with the idea of a shared cross country and I suspect that very, very few pilots are. Of those that are, probably an equally small percentage would be concerned about it, since no one is ever likely to second guess them on their logbooks.

[MidlifeFlyer]

Originally Posted by MichaelCPS

But then the guy who was flying the flight as the sole manipulator of the controls the entire time can't log cross country, right?

Maybe. Don't bother banging your head. The "analysis" (using the term very loosely) that the disowned FAQ used to come to its conclusion doesn't stand up to very much scrutiny. Other than being result-oriented ("I don't want a safety pilot to count cross country time toward certificates and ratings so she can't. So there!") there isn't any sense that can be made of it, so don't even bother trying to use it to figure out anything else. (I don't think multiple landings takes care of the problem either).