"Required crew" time logging question

Kenny Phillips

Kenny Phillips

Final Approach
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Kenny Phillips
If someone decides to purchase a particularly complex aircraft, and their insurance company says that they must have a certain number of hours (say, 50) with a mentor pilot before they'll OK solo PIC, does that make the mentor "required crew" in the eyes of the FAA? Regarding logging time, that is. In other words, can I, as owner/pilot, define the "required crew" under 14 CFR part 91, and could both of us log time?
Sorry if this has been answered; my search gave me many unrelated results.
 
Nah. Whoever at the controls and sole manipulator logs the time, assuming you are rated, ex SE rating.

Insurance requirements are just insurance requirements. But more opinions forthcoming so prepare for....

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Required crew means required by law. Insurance is not required by law.

You could try to get an STC approved for your plane to require the additional crew. Then you can log the time.
 
I do know that Caravans in commercial use sometimes have two pilots, and both are logging time. What made them "required crew"? Maybe it's buried in the 135 stuff. I work with 14 CFR part 33 all day long, but part 91 can be obtuse.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
I do know that Caravans in commercial use sometimes have two pilots, and both are logging time. What made them "required crew"? Maybe it's buried in the 135 stuff. I work with 14 CFR part 33 all day long, but part 91 can be obtuse.
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Pretty sure that requirement is in each company's OPSPEC approved by the Feds.
 
Required = required by FARs
 
61.51(e) "Logging pilot-in-command flight time. (1) A sport, recreational, private, commercial, or airline transport pilot may log pilot in command flight time for flights... (iii) When the pilot, except for a holder of a sport or recreational pilot certificate, acts as pilot in command of an aircraft for which more than one pilot is required under the type certification of the aircraft or the regulations under which the flight is conducted;"

An insurance company is a private entity that you enter into a financial contract with; you give them money and under certain circumstances they give you money. Has no bearing on whether the FAA says you can log time or not.
 
dmspilot said:
61.51(e) "Logging pilot-in-command flight time. (1) A sport, recreational, private, commercial, or airline transport pilot may log pilot in command flight time for flights... (iii) When the pilot, except for a holder of a sport or recreational pilot certificate, acts as pilot in command of an aircraft for which more than one pilot is required under the type certification of the aircraft or the regulations under which the flight is conducted;"

An insurance company is a private entity that you enter into a financial contract with; you give them money and under certain circumstances they give you money. Has no bearing on whether the FAA says you can log time or not.
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That's apparently the way it is; hiring a CFI would be the only way, else one is paying someone to sit in a seat and not log time. (And if they could log time, one might not need to pay them at all!)
 
Note that the logging doesn't say "when you serve as a required crewmember" it says when the regulations or type certificate REQUIRE MORE THAN ONE PILOT.

This occurs in very few places:
1. A pilot is flying under simulated instrument flight and there is hence a required safety pilot.
2. The pilot is flying under part 135/121 rules that require a second in command in addition to the PIC.
3. The airplane is one that requires two pilots in its certification.
 
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