Sec. 61.51
Pilot
logbooks.
(c) Logging of pilot
time. The pilot time described in this section may be used to:
(1) Apply for a certificate or rating issued under this part or a
privilege authorized under this part; or
(2) Satisfy the recent flight experience requirements of this part.
(e) Logging
pilot-in-command flight time.
(1) A sport,
recreational, private, or commercial pilot may log
pilot-in-command time only for that flight time during which that person
(i) Is the sole
manipulator of the controls of an aircraft for which the pilot is rated or has
privileges;
(ii) Is the sole occupant of the
aircraft; or
(iii) Except for a recreational pilot, is
acting as pilot in command of an aircraft on which more than one pilot is
required under the type certification of the aircraft or the regulations under
which the flight is conducted.
Thus, the private pilot logs PIC
time
FAR 61.51(e)(1)(i)
states that the left seat pilot under the hood logs PIC time as
sole-manipulator
FAR 61.51(e)(1)(iii) states that
the right seat safety pilot logs PIC time since he’s acting as (legal) PIC on a
flight that requires more than one crewmember (FAR 91.109).
Sec. 91.109
Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests.
(b) No person may operate a civil aircraft in simulated instrument
flight unless--
(1) The other control seat is occupied by a
safety pilot who possesses at least a private pilot certificate with category
and class ratings appropriate to the aircraft being flown.
Thus, to fly under simulated
instrument conditions the flight, regardless of the pilot’s rating, requires a
2nd crewmember as safety pilot who is at least a private pilot with
appropriate category and class ratings.
Not even a pilot with an instrument rating or better can fly in
simulated instrument flight without a safety pilot.
Sec. 1.1
General
definitions.
As used in
Subchapters A through K of this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:
Pilot in command means the person who:
(1) Has final authority and responsibility for the operation and
safety of the flight;
(2) Has been designated as pilot in command before or during the
flight; and
(3) Holds the appropriate category, class, and type rating, if appropriate,
for the conduct of the flight.
Thus, always, to be the final
authority and take on the (legal) responsibility for the safe operation of the
flight means you are PIC.
Other explanations of
the above:
A pilot may log PIC time when
he/she is the sole occupant of the aircraft; is the sole manipulator of the
controls of an aircraft for which the pilot is rated or has privileges; or is
acting as PIC where more than one pilot is required (FAR
1.1,61.51 [e]). The Federal Aviation Regulations (
When practicing
flying in simulated instrument conditions with a safety pilot, both the pilot
flying the aircraft by reference to instruments and the safety pilot may log
PIC time if the safety pilot is acting as PIC. As long as the pilot
flying the aircraft is rated for the aircraft being flown, he/she may log this
time as PIC because he/she is sole manipulator of the controls (FAR 61.51).
Because the pilot flying will be wearing a view limiting device, a safety pilot
will be a required crewmember on board (FAR 91.109). The safety pilot may log as PIC any
flight time for which he/she is acting PIC in an operation requiring more than
one pilot crewmember (FAR 61.51).
Last Point:
The only way to not understand that both Pilot A under the hood and
safety Pilot B both log PIC time is to not understand how to read the FAR
itself. This is not an issue of interpretation, it's an issue of properly reading and comprehending
the