How to find safety pilot

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Rose2012

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Rose2012
I'm not quite to this point yet, but getting there sloooooowly. I know the instructor I've been flying with is more than happy to do instrument work with me whenever, but I'm not more than happy to pay him to keep me from running into people. :wink2: So, how do YOU find safety pilots? I've asked my instructor for referrals, but he really only runs with other CFI's, which brings me back to the payment issue, which I'd prefer to avoid if possible. Suggestions, please!
 
Semi-recently minted VFR pilots, or frankly anyone who is looking to build XC time to start IR training, would be thrilled to be a safety pilot in VMC. I have seen postings on the bulletin board at my local flight school.

The other thing I would recommend is asking local instructors who their IR students are. I've seen deals where IR students (or folks getting current) split the cost of a flight and switch off safety piloting for each other on different legs. As long as you're in VMC you should have a lot of options!
 
What part of the world are ya in? There are POAers all over and some of them occasionally ride in the right seat and look out the window. I've had 4 or 5 POAers for vict ^H^H^H^H safety pilots. Other places to find them are hanging out in hangars at an airport near you. The guy building an RV-8 rode with me one afternoon and another was a hangar mate (for a short while before I got my own hangar).
 
ChrisK said:
Semi-recently minted VFR pilots, or frankly anyone who is looking to build XC time to start IR training, would be thrilled to be a safety pilot in VMC. I have seen postings on the bulletin board at my local flight school.

The other thing I would recommend is asking local instructors who their IR students are. I've seen deals where IR students (or folks getting current) split the cost of a flight and switch off safety piloting for each other on different legs. As long as you're in VMC you should have a lot of options!
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Not just in VMC, but under VFR -- no special "practice" permission for IR trainees to file and fly IFR even in VMC. But other than that, Chris has the right idea. Even better if you can find another trainee of your instructor, and not only to practice together, but to ride in the back when the other is getting training.
 
I responded to a 'hey, anyone need a safety pilot' posting on a local pilots list. Found someone who had just finished his IR a couple of months before and had some good pointers from his checkride experience.

I bet if you posted it here, you would find someone interested to go along for the ride.
 
I know he doesn't have any instrument students...that would be a nice solution. I'll keep looking.

And yes, I realize this sounds like a stupid question, but I'm fairly new in town and totally unplugged from the aviation scene, so I really appreciate the help.
 
Rose2012 said:
And yes, I realize this sounds like a stupid question, but I'm fairly new in town and totally unplugged from the aviation scene, so I really appreciate the help.
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Finding a safety pilot or acting as safety pilot for others is one of the ways to plug yourself into the local pilot community.

Stick up a piece of paper with tear-off sheets containing a temporary phone number/email address at the local airports.
 
weilke said:
Finding a safety pilot or acting as safety pilot for others is one of the ways to plug yourself into the local pilot community.
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Chicken and egg type thing, unfortunately. :)
 
Yeah I hear you =)

Anyone running an instrument ground school near you? Might be able to show up and hunt around a little!
 
Not sure. Maybe I'll check the local community college....goodness knows I could probably stand to actually take the class.
 
Do you have a local EAA Chapter nearby? That would be a good resource.
 
If you are near central texas I'd be willing to safety pilot for you. I just want to fly at this point.
 
I'm in the same boat, I'd say a thread where pilots could look for other pilots based on their airport/city would be helpful..as long as people searched the thread. Louisville KY here.
 
Well, no instrument rating courses offered here. Guess it'll be more networking for me.
 
Rose,
Where on the Gulf Coast are you? There may be PoAers around there who can act as a safety pilot. Otherwise, as others mentioned, you could put a notice on an FBO bulletin board or visit local EAA or Ninety-Nines meetings.
 
There should be a forum called "Desperately Seeking Safety Pilot", or something equally cheesy.

So far, I've just paid an instructor to go up and safety pilot for me. Getting a safety pilot is a weird deal for at least two reasons:

1> "hey total stranger, who I most likely am not going to ask to see your license but rather take your word for it; let's go do something that's dangerous. You'll have full access to the flight controls during all phases of the flight. You're not to touch them. I trust you!"

2> I want to go fly; and I need someone to just sit there and look out the window. No, you can't fly. Just look out the window, then go home. Also; I can't pay you, as I understand it, unless you have a commercial license.

2a> I don't like to ask anyone for "favors" (some kind of pride thing going on there); especially from people I don't know.

There should be an article written about SOP in safety piloting: "Hey, good to meet you, I'm Steve; here is my pilot license and photo ID. Today the plan is <blah>. Can I please see your license and stuff?"

So if you can't pay a safety pilot, but you want to compensate them somehow; a flight instructor is a safety pilot who is compensated. I've gone that avenue, and when I go home after the flight, nobody owes anybody anything. It's more expensive, but it's simpler.
 
Sometimes members here trade off safety pilot duties and split the cost of the plane. That's all perfectly legal and doable without a commercial certificate.
 
StevieTimes said:
So far, I've just paid an instructor to go up and safety pilot for me. Getting a safety pilot is a weird deal for at least two reasons:
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Even after I got my CFII, I was always happy to be a safety pilot for friends. No weirdness and no payment required. I guess the key is to have lots of pilot friends!
 
DavidWhite said:
If you are near central texas I'd be willing to safety pilot for you. I just want to fly at this point.
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Same for North Texas. And I'll up the ante with purchasing the lunch or dinner or breakfast.

And since getting my IFR rating is in the not so distant future, having the exposure of seeing the IFR flight in action would be an interesting activity.
 
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StevieTimes said:
So if you can't pay a safety pilot, but you want to compensate them somehow; a flight instructor is a safety pilot who is compensated. I've gone that avenue, and when I go home after the flight, nobody owes anybody anything. It's more expensive, but it's simpler.
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The 'compensation' for the safety pilot is the time that you are under the hood as PIC in his logbook. If you own the plane, you can allow the safety pilot get some hood time and fly an approach, that way he/she can mark something off for his currency as well (just keep track of time so both of your entries are logical and legal for the next iacra form).

The other 'compensation' is that you get to meet other pilots, for the most part that is a pleasant experience.
 
Local pilot mailing lists are a good way, as is looking for someone around your area on POA.

I've never had any trouble finding a safety pilot when I need one, or being one.
 
And I've stashed pilot friends in the right seat while time building and said "you can't log, you can't fly, but you can sit there and look out the window!" and they were thrilled to be at altitude.

I bet you'll find someone on POA soon =) Edit the thread title to indicate your airport identifier.
 
StevieTimes said:
So if you can't pay a safety pilot, but you want to compensate them somehow; a flight instructor is a safety pilot who is compensated. I've gone that avenue, and when I go home after the flight, nobody owes anybody anything. It's more expensive, but it's simpler.
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Unless the safety pilot holds a CP or better, just leave the subject of money out of it and you'll be fine with the FAA.
 
Ron Levy said:
Not just in VMC, but under VFR -- no special "practice" permission for IR trainees to file and fly IFR even in VMC. But other than that, Chris has the right idea. Even better if you can find another trainee of your instructor, and not only to practice together, but to ride in the back when the other is getting training.
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Just to clarify what i think you mean, IR trainees cannot legally file and fly IFR, unless the safety pilot is instrument rated and is acting as PIC during the flight. In that case, the safety pilot's name is the one under which the IFR flight plan should be filed.


JKG
 
I don't have any friends in aviation that live in this state, except instructors; none of my friends fly.

Let's say through the magic of POA, I meet a "could-be" safety pilot. They agree to drive out to my airport and sit in the passenger seat for a flight.

On day one; you kinda have to ask to see their pilot license and picture identification, don't you?
 
StevieTimes said:
I don't have any friends in aviation that live in this state, except instructors; none of my friends fly.

Let's say through the magic of POA, I meet a "could-be" safety pilot. They agree to drive out to my airport and sit in the passenger seat for a flight.

On day one; you kinda have to ask to see their pilot license and picture identification, don't you?
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I dunno, there was some rapscallion named "Jesse" who rode his motorcycle out to meet me in Texas. I don't think I've ever seen a picture ID or his pilots certificate.

http://flighttraining.aopa.org/magazine/2012/May/feature-cfi-adventure.html

He's also my best friend in the whole world. PoA really is a wonderful place.
 
JGoodish said:
Just to clarify what i think you mean, IR trainees cannot legally file and fly IFR, unless the safety pilot is instrument rated and is acting as PIC during the flight. In that case, the safety pilot's name is the one under which the IFR flight plan should be filed.
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Correctamundo.
 
I lot of small airport FBOs have bulletin boards for posting notices, for-sale items, etc. I've seen safety pilot requests posted on those. I've also hooked my instrument students up with other students or just people I knew from being at the airport. Also, ask the FBO operator for recommendations. They know who rents what and may have suggestions.

Good luck!
 
StevieTimes said:
On day one; you kinda have to ask to see their pilot license and picture identification, don't you?
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I never did. Of course, I pretty much knew everyone's history around the airport when I was regularly flying so maybe I assumed too much.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Besides the specify my location part, I don't like getting that identifiable online. :) Like I said, I'm not to the point of brushing off the IFR dust, but at some point I'll get there. Maybe...
 
StevieTimes said:
On day one; you kinda have to ask to see their pilot license and picture identification, don't you?
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I don't think I've ever asked to see someone's pilot's license or had anyone ask to see mine unless it was in some kind of official capacity.
 
pilot of Americard;1015349]I don't think I've ever asked to see someone's pilot's license or had anyone ask to see mine unless it was in some kind of official capacity.[/QUOTE]
should you have? let's take my situation; I don't know this "could-be" safety pilot. Nobody else I know knows this person.

somehow I think the faa could find me at fault for not asking, in the case that something wasn't legit.
 
Dude. I've never, ever met a pilot ashamed to show off his membership card.
 
StevieTimes said:
I don't have any friends in aviation that live in this state, except instructors; none of my friends fly.

Let's say through the magic of POA, I meet a "could-be" safety pilot. They agree to drive out to my airport and sit in the passenger seat for a flight.

On day one; you kinda have to ask to see their pilot license and picture identification, don't you?
Click to expand...


Well the funny thing is, I've never been shown the license and ID for any CFI I've ever flown with either. I have always just assumed that they are qualified.

Come to think of it, I was just at the dentist today and didn't check his credentials either...

:yikes:
 
Gubbins said:
Well the funny thing is, I've never been shown the license and ID for any CFI I've ever flown with either. I have always just assumed that they are qualified.

Come to think of it, I was just at the dentist today and didn't check his credentials either...

:yikes:
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because you're going through a business. what if you picked your dentist off a message board, still just trust him with your teeth?
 
StevieTimes said:
somehow I think the faa could find me at fault for not asking, in the case that something wasn't legit.
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The FAA doesn't require you to look at someone's certificate to prove that they can act as a safety pilot, and I wouldn't worry about them checking up on it either. They have far better things to do than search through people's logbooks trying to verify little details. But, if it makes you feel better, go for it. I was just speaking for myself.
 
ChrisK said:
Dude. I've never, ever met a pilot ashamed to show off his membership card.
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You've never met me. You know the TSA's whole "beware of someone carrying a certificate without the corresponding aeronautical knowledge"? Yeah. That's me. And I'm ashamed to admit I'm a CFI, ha.
 
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