No Mam, I haven't researched it! Who is the FAA official that told me the answer to this question. If you are refering to Ron, he is not an employee of the FAA. To the best of my knowledge, Ron is a safety counselor which is far from an FAA official. An issue such as this requires me to contact the FAA and get the interpretation from them, not from someone off the internet. But let's not forget that I am a CFI/CFII/MEI, so I can teach anyone any rating that I am rated to teach. However, if this issue comes up at my flight school, I will be able to give an educated answer to the question.
Lastly, I seem to be in a losing situation here regardless of what I do. I am going to do the research and am told that numerous people have given me the answer to the question, but I am accused of wanting to hear an answer that suites me. This could not be further from the truth. I am going to do the right thing and go directly to the people who have the power to interpret and enforce the same regulations they create. The only interpretation that matters is their interpretation, even if it differs from mine. Other than Woodstock, lets see who else can post and say I am wrong for asking the FAA to give me their interpretation of the reg, instead of taking someone elses opinion who is not an FAA official, and unknown to me.