Safety Pilot

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HPNFlyGirl

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I found a guy to be a safety pilot for.

My question is...What makes a good safety pilot?

I looked on the board and couldn't find anything about how to be a good safety pilot. If there is any information on the board please let me know.
 
Keep your eyes outside the plane at all times and don't let them crash into...

1.) Barns
2.) Airplanes
3.) Large flocks of birds
4.) Anything fatal

Don't try to instruct them. Let them do their thing. If there is a mistake made that could potentially put the safety of the flight at risk say something.
 
Be sure they ask you if it's "clear" before making any turns......especially since you'll be unfamiliar with the procedures they might be executing.

Kaye
 
jesse said:
Don't try to instruct them. Let them do their thing. If there is a mistake made that could potentially put the safety of the flight at risk say something.
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I talk to the person flying under the hood before the flight and ask what they want to be made aware of during the flight. I don't try to be an instructor (because I'm not one...), but sometimes a quick reminder to "switch this, or that" or "disengage the autopilot" can really help (the amount of help you can offer here is dependant on your familiarity with the airplane/nav equipment in use, but you get the idea). I'll offer to make the radio calls if they get too overwhelmed on an instrument approach or to negotiate around other traffic at an uncontrolled field. Sometimes I'll switch out the approach plates when needed -- whatever can be done to allow the left seater to focus on what (s)he needs to be proficient. Other than that, just be generally encouraging, keep your eyes outside the airplane, and follow Jesse's list above. Have fun!
 
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I like Ryan's answer.

Your primary duty as a safety pilot is to act as the hooded pilot's eyes - take responsibility for flight safety with respect to those things you can see but he can't. IMO, that's not only about running into things. For example, it may also be about airspace. Is there a stadium TFR in effect somewhere near where the hooded pilot will be practicing? Are you near some other type of airspace that needs to be avoided but you folks are not speaking to ATC? Avoiding those types of incursions are part of your duties as well.

Beyond that, the best safety pilots are those who take the role the hooded pilot assigns them. But don't expect to be perfect. A friend and I have been flying together alternating SP duties for a few years. At this point, each of us knows when to butt in and when to shut up (although he's =much= better at the latter than I am). But we did start off with a rule that went, "If you see me do something really stupid, the airplane is yours."
 
What a great opportunity to learn about the IFR system and flying approaches!!! As for what's expected of you, find out what the PIC wants you to do. Just ask.

If you fly safety pilot for me your job is to make sure I don't run into anything. I don't like for my safety pilot to touch the radios or the controls, or to give me any advice or opinion about what I'm doing... as long as what I'm doing is safe then please don't instruct.

Remember that one of the things I'm trying to accomplish by flying approaches VFR with a safety pilot is to work out my cockpit resource management. If you try to help it just screws up what I'm trying to get done.

If you can say, "I have the traffic in sight", "No joy", and "You have traffic at 3 o'clock low moving away from us.", then you've done 99% of what I need you to do. The pilot you're flying with may have completely different ideas, so just ask.
 
In addition to all of this make sure you clarify roles with the person you are acting as safety pilot for. For example who talks on the radio and when.

If I am acting a SP I like to take all the traffic calls and respond when I have them in sight. All the other calls for vectoring and such are the responsibility of the person flying the plane.

Another thing I watch for is altitude. If the pilot is busting altitude, especially low I bring it to their attention.
 
midlifeflyer said:
I like Ryan's answer.

Your primary duty as a safety pilot is to act as the hooded pilot's eyes - take responsibility for flight safety with respect to those things you can see but he can't. IMO, that's not only about running into things. For example, it may also be about airspace. Is there a stadium TFR in effect somewhere near where the hooded pilot will be practicing? Are you near some other type of airspace that needs to be avoided but you folks are not speaking to ATC? Avoiding those types of incursions are part of your duties as well.

Beyond that, the best safety pilots are those who take the role the hooded pilot assigns them. But don't expect to be perfect. A friend and I have been flying together alternating SP duties for a few years. At this point, each of us knows when to butt in and when to shut up (although he's =much= better at the latter than I am). But we did start off with a rule that went, "If you see me do something really stupid, the airplane is yours."
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If I am not mistaken, the requirement is that the Safety Pilot be a pilot with a current medical, certified for the catagory and class. The Safety Pilot does not even need to be current, which is interesting. Very clearly, in that case (see below), the pilot under the hood is still the PIC, so whoever you select to be your Safety Pilot you are still responsible for any airspace or procedure violations. Simulated IFR does not require that the Safety Pilot be IFR certified, because you are only required to be operating under VFR rules.
 
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The most important quality in a safety pilot is predictability -- the assurance that s/he will do everything we agreed would be his/her duties during the preflight briefing, and nothing else.
 
Dwight B. Van Zanen said:
If I am not mistaken, the requirement is that the Safety Pilot be a pilot with a current medical, certified for the catagory and class. The Safety Pilot does not even need to be current, which is interesting.
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When the SP is acting as SIC, that's all true...

Very clearly the pilot under the hood is still the PIC,
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...but that's not true.

It is entirely possible that the SP may be agreed to be the PIC, in which case the SP has all the PIC requirements (currencies, etc) and responsibilities, along with PIC authority. In fact, the hooded pilot doesn't even need to have a pilot certificate, although a non-CFI might be a bit foolish to fly as PIC in the right seat with a non-pilot flying the plane under the hood. It is, however, entirely possible that a pilot whose medical is temporarily "inop" might want to do some instrument proficiency/currency flying to be ready when the ticket comes back, in which case the SP must be the PIC. In any event, make darn sure this is sorted out and agreed on during the preflight briefing.
 
Dwight B. Van Zanen said:
If I am not mistaken, the requirement is that the Safety Pilot be a pilot with a current medical, certified for the catagory and class. The Safety Pilot does not even need to be current, which is interesting. Very clearly the pilot under the hood is still the PIC, so whoever you select to be your Safety Pilot you are still responsible for any airspace or procedure violations. Simulated IFR does not require that the Safety Pilot be IFR certified, because you are only required to be operating under VFR rules.
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Ron's right, dude. There are literally HUNDREDS of articles that explain this. Its confusing, but there's no reason for anyone to believe that anymore.

BTW - if you're not being SIC, simply a safety pilot - do you need to have a current medical? I wasn't aware of that being the case.
 
SkyHog said:
...BTW - if you're not being SIC, simply a safety pilot - do you need to have a current medical? I wasn't aware of that being the case.
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Yes you do have to have a current medical. I've never read the FAA's reasoning for that but my guess is that you need to demonstrate that you meet the standards for vision since the primary purpose for the safety pilot is to be the eyes outside the airplane
 
Dwight B. Van Zanen said:
If I am not mistaken, the requirement is that the Safety Pilot be a pilot with a current medical, certified for the catagory and class. The Safety Pilot does not even need to be current, which is interesting. Very clearly the pilot under the hood is still the PIC, so whoever you select to be your Safety Pilot you are still responsible for any airspace or procedure violations. Simulated IFR does not require that the Safety Pilot be IFR certified, because you are only required to be operating under VFR rules.
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Good points, all. I was unclear above. I should have said, "Very clearly, in that case, the pilot under the hood is still the PIC." Sorry.
 
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SkyHog said:
Ron's right, dude. There are literally HUNDREDS of articles that explain this. Its confusing, but there's no reason for anyone to believe that anymore.

BTW - if you're not being SIC, simply a safety pilot - do you need to have a current medical? I wasn't aware of that being the case.
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You're a required crew member, so you must have a current medical and be certified for category and class. Since you're a required crew member, you can (and probably should) log the time as SIC if you're not acting as PIC.
 
TMetzinger said:
You're a required crew member, so you must have a current medical and be certified for category and class. Since you're a required crew member, you can (and probably should) log the time as SIC if you're not acting as PIC.
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Really?? So I have unlogged SIC time then. I need to read the FARs on that one, because it doesn't sound right (but it probably is :D)

Thanks.
 
First: Who is acting as PIC? Decide before you get in the plane.

Second: What does the hooded pilot want you to do? If you're with me, I'll tell you that I want you to do two things: Keep me clear of traffic and obstacles, and answer ONLY those radio calls that deal with traffic. If you can do the above, an added bonus would be if you can pay enough attention to keep me from busting an ATC instruction (ie "Stay west of runway 18 centerline...")

Third: Look outside. Look outside. Look outside. That is your primary responsibility and is more important than anything else. Remember, there are two pilots in the plane to handle everything except looking outside - There's only one looking outside. That's your job, do it.
 
One more radio call you may need to give is a visual possition report. Our tower likes to ask VFR flights from the east to report over the mall. Since my praticing pilot was under the hood and couldn't see the mall, I made that report. We didn't discuss that before we left but when tower issued that instruction, I just said to him "I'll make that call" & he nodded.

Missa
 
SkyHog said:
Really?? So I have unlogged SIC time then. I need to read the FARs on that one, because it doesn't sound right (but it probably is :D)Thanks.
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Yes, really, and yes, the regs allow it. See 14 CFR 61.51(f)(2). Since more than one pilot is required by the regulation under which the flight is being conducted (14 CFR 91.109(b)), and the safety pilot holds the appropriate category and class ratings (one certainly hopes that is true, else that safety pilot isn't legal to be the safety pilot), the safety pilot may log SIC time.
 
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