On 12/14/2005 10:50, three-eight-hotel wrote:

Personally, I don't think flying as a safety pilot for
another pilot on a x-country flight provides me the same x-country
'experience' as making the flight myself

In general, I agree, and based on my most recent interpretation of the
regs through this discussion and further looking at the regs, I would
say that it would definitely be a stretch to log XC PIC time while
acting as a safety pilot.

As far as "experience" goes, though... If you participate in the
planning of the flight and are involved in making sure the flight stays
on track, I don't see how you get any less experience out of the flight
than the manipulator of the controls. Once that bird is airbourne, it
pretty much flies itself and we merely become navigators. I think both
occupants benefit equally from an experience standpoint.

The difference, in my opinion, is in who is taking responsibility
for the planning, nav, control, etc. of the flight. In the case where
there are two pilots sharing the duties, is either one really taking
responsibility? I know they can decide in advance who will be PIC,
but when you get right down to it, only one person really planned
that flight; only one person really flew it; only one person really
landed, etc.

It's similar, in my mind, to a primary student going out for his first
solo - that is the first time he is really responsible for the control
of the airplane, even though the instructor may not have touched the
controls in some time.


I'm not trying to be argumentative, and actually agree on what's
loggable and what isn't. I'm just suggesting that as a right seat
passenger, of any flight, I feel like I gain valuable experience (even
though I can't log it) and only feel deprived of any landing
experiences.

I appreciate the opportunity to discuss the issue with you ;-)
Every time I get involved with a thread here, I learn something.
What a great resource!


Best Regards,
Todd



--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Sacramento, CA