There are different terms: Acting PIC and Logging PIC. But I agree that it must be easy to confuse the two since so many pilots and CFIs do so. But the real issue here is that these two "terms" are controlled by to completely different regulations. Acting as PIC falls under several different part 61 rules depending on the aircraft, ratings, flight rules, etc. Logging PIC time is regulated by 61.51(e).
No argument there. But I don't think the solution would be new terms for logging PIC or acting PIC, just an explanation of the difference somewhere like the AIM.
Mr. Machado clears this up nicley
http://www.rodmachado.com/Articles/Logging_Flight_Time.htm
You may log pilot-in-command flight time when:
There are only three conditions in which a private or commercial pilot can log PIC time.
1. You are the sole manipulator of the controls of an aircraft for which you are rated (if you are flying a Cessna 172 and you have an airplane, single engine land rating, then you can log this time as PIC. Of course, some folks want to know if this still applies when the airplane is being flown by the autopilot. The answer to this question is: Don't ask that question and don't brag about using the autopilot, either. Just log the time as PIC and be happy.);
2. You are the sole occupant of the aircraft (if you are the only one in the airplane then there's a very good chance that you're the only one flying it, so log the time as PIC. How do you log this if you have a split personality? I suppose you'll need to get a twin rating);
3.You are acting as pilot in command on an aircraft on which more than one pilot is required under the type certification or the regulations under which the flight is conducted (this one needs a bit of explanation)
To understand item #3 you must understand the difference between
logging PIC and
acting as the PIC. Keep in mind that FAR 91.109(b)1 wisely requires that a safety pilot be on board if the person flying is operating under simulated instrument conditions. Yes, I think this is a good rule, too
. The regulations also require that one person on board the aircraft always
act as PIC. This will be the person who is legally responsible for the operation of that aircraft. The person acting as the pilot in command can obviously log this time as PIC. On the other hand, the regulations also allow an additional person to log PIC if that person does something that generates experience of sufficient value. Here's an example.
Suppose you and a friend both have private pilot certificates with airplane, single-engine-land ratings. Let's also say that each of you is legally qualified to act as the legal PIC (meaning that you are both current, have current medicals, etc., etc.). Both of you hop into a Cessna 172 for a flight. Your friend wears a view-limiting device and is the sole manipulator of the flight controls while you act as the safety pilot.
In this instance, if your friend elects to act as the
legal PIC as well as be the sole manipulator of the flight controls, then he alone logs the flight time as PIC while you log the time as second in command (SIC). [This is also the example where, if the airplane is either complex or high performance, and if you don't have a complex or high performance endorsement, then you can still act as safety pilot and log it as SIC since you're not acting as (the legal) PIC.]
On the other hand, you may elect to act as the safety pilot as well as the legal PIC while your friend is the sole manipulator of the controls. If so, then you can log the time as PIC and your friend can also log the time as PIC. Do you see why this is? Being the safety pilot doesn't mean you can
automatically log the time as PIC. You must be willing to act as the
legal PIC (as well as the safety pilot) to log this time as PIC. Since your friend is the sole manipulator of the controls, he gets to log PIC time as well. If anything goes wrong in this scenario, you're the one whose ticket will be on the line.
Here's another commonly asked question regarding the information above. Suppose you and the same friend go flying in that same Cessna 172 and no one wears a view-limiting device. Is there any situation where both of you log the time as PIC?
Sorry, but there's absolutely no way this can happen.
Yes, I realize that some folks suggest it's possible for both pilots to simultaneously log all the flight time as PIC here but the FAA doesn't seem to think so (and they are the folks who count in this instance). The only condition where these two pilots can log PIC is when one pilot is operating under simulated conditions as stated above. Under this condition the regulations require that two pilots be on board the airplane. There's no type certificate (or any condition, for that matter) that requires that two private or commercial pilots be on board a Cessna 172. When two private or commercial pilots are on board an aircraft and neither wears a view limiting device, only one pilot can log PIC at a time. This will be the pilot who is the sole manipulator of the flight controls.
Logging Flight Time
By Rod Machado
©2005 Rod Machado
