Logbook - "Solo"

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jFlight

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jFly
Is solo only a designation for student pilot, or do you continue to fill out the solo column for when are PIC with no PAX?

Since my Private ASEL checkride, Oct. 27, I have added 8.2 hours in 6 flights to my logbook, with only 2.0 for XC, and also including a DA40/G1000 checkout. (Learned in a C172.) Only two flights have I had PAX on so far, though.

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§61.51 Pilot Logbooks
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(d) Logging of solo flight time. Except for a student pilot performing the duties of pilot in command of an airship requiring more than one pilot flight crewmember, a pilot may log as solo flight time only that flight time when the pilot is the sole occupant of the aircraft.
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(e) Logging pilot-in-command flight time. (1) A recreational, private, or commercial pilot may log pilot-in- command time only for that flight time during which that person --
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(ii) Is the sole occupant of the aircraft; or
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No you don't have to log solo time, unless you want to. FAA will typically ask for solo time every time you fill out your IACRA form for a new rating, however a minimum number of solo hours is only required for PPL.

I don't log solo time, never did. That being said if FAA asks for it I will be able to go though my logbook and figure out how many solo hours I have based on the comments.
 
Pre-certificate, PIC = Solo since you are operating it on your own with no one else on-board. After you earn your certificate, you continue to log PIC.
 
If you ever plan to get a Commercial certificate, you'd better keep logging your solo (sole living human occupant) time, since there are several solo requirements for CP beyond those for Private. See 61.129 for details, and note that your logbook must reflect those as solo flights for them to count.
 
Ron Levy said:
If you ever plan to get a Commercial certificate, you'd better keep logging your solo (sole living human occupant) time, since there are several solo requirements for CP beyond those for Private. See 61.129 for details, and note that your logbook must reflect those as solo flights for them to count.
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(4) Ten hours of solo flight time in a single engine airplane or 10 hours of flight time performing the duties of pilot in command in a single engine airplane with an authorized instructor on board (either of which may be credited towards the flight time requirement under paragraph (a)(2) of this section), on the areas of operation listed under §61.127(b)(1) that include—

Looks like it does not have to be 10 hours solo, 10 hours acting PIC should works just fine. Given that in the end you will log PIC for both you don't really need to log solo time.
 
That's solo or with a CFI, you can't take the wife and kids on vacation and then call it your commercial cross country.
 
Dave Theisen said:
That's solo or with a CFI, you can't take the wife and kids on vacation and then call it your commercial cross country.
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Yeah my point is that you just don't have to log solo or be solo. If you log only PIC it should still be fine.
Only PPL has requirements where you actually have to be solo.
 
MachFly said:
Looks like it does not have to be 10 hours solo, 10 hours acting PIC should works just fine.
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Not quite true. Acting as PIC isn't sufficient -- you must be performing the duties of PIC under the observation of a CFI, and it must be logged specifically as such over the CFI's signature. But if you do that, then yes, it doesn't have to be solo. However, I'm not sure why anyone would do it that way unless they had to (say, flight school insurance requirement for someone doing initial CP with multiengine).
 
Greg Bockelman said:
The FAA sure muddied the waters when they put that clause in there.
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The FAA did that because some schools were doing initial CP along with initial ME. Their insurers would not allow solo by folks without an ME rating. The schools appealed to the FAA for relief, and got it, initially only in subparagraph (b) for airplane multiengine. Then some other schools started to whine about solo restrictions in complex singles, and the FAA gave in and made it for all ratings, not just AME. So, it ends up being an instructor integrity check.
 
Ron Levy said:
However, I'm not sure why anyone would do it that way unless they had to (say, flight school insurance requirement for someone doing initial CP with multiengine).
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True


Well maybe a CFI is a friend of yours that was willing to do it for free :dunno:
 
Ron Levy said:
The FAA did that because some schools were doing initial CP along with initial ME.
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Oh, I understand the reasons for it. But I think that it is an abuse of the privilege to invoke that clause on any single engine flight.
 
So I assume sometime in the past you had to be solo. Any idea when the FAA changed it? Just curious.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
Oh, I understand the reasons for it. But I think that it is an abuse of the privilege to invoke that clause on any single engine flight.
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A friend a mine used to fly on a M26 Airwolf. The school rented it only on dual bases.
 
MachFly said:
So I assume sometime in the past you had to be solo. Any idea when the FAA changed it? Just curious.
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Always. As far as I know, there has always been a requirement for solo flight. This latest deal isn't that old. Maybe in the last 4 or 5 years? Can't remember. But before that, there has ALWAYS been a requirement for solo flight, at least at the Private Pilot level.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
Always. As far as I know, there has always been a requirement for solo flight. This latest deal isn't that old. Maybe in the last 4 or 5 years? Can't remember. But before that, there has ALWAYS been a requirement for solo flight, at least at the Private Pilot level.
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Roger

Yeah I know about the private, I believe the solo requirement for it is still there (although I have not checked).
 
Greg Bockelman said:
Oh, I understand the reasons for it. But I think that it is an abuse of the privilege to invoke that clause on any single engine flight.
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I'm with you on the moral/ethical aspects, but the law is the law. Personally, I was pretty pleased with my ability to go all that way, and to do that night flying, all by myself, and I encourage PP's to do the same if at all possible -- the confidence you build is worth it.
 
MachFly said:
Yeah I know about the private, I believe the solo requirement for it is still there (although I have not checked).
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For PP, yes, it is. Only exceptions are airships, where a 2-person crew is required, and gas balloons, where a supervised solo is allowed (not familiar enough with that class to say why).
 
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