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2 Answers

PIC flying as passenger for a small part of a flight

Asked by: 6156 views , ,
FAA Regulations, Private Pilot

I have since long time a FAA PPL license and I want to fly with a "N" Cessna 172 as PIC from A to B, such flight flying also through country X. The problem is that country X, because of an accident I had long ago in this country, decided that I'm not allowed to fly as flight crew member over X (lifelong). X is relatively a small country (nothing to do with the USA) with strange regulations.

As of FAR rules, is it allowed to make a flight and be a PIC only for the greatest part of the flight (and for the small part above X to be just a "Passenger"), but not for the full flight ? (of course over X the PIC would ufficially be my colleague who also holds a valid FAA license)

How should I log that flight in my logbook ? Theoretically I will be the de-facto PIC for the full flight (and would of course like to log it this way), but legally (on the logbook) I don't want to be the PIC for the time flying above X.

Is this compatible with the FAA rules (to log only a part of the flight as PIC) ? 
Thanks for any advice about FARs related to this issue.

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2 Answers



  1. Jim Foley on Mar 30, 2011

    If I understand the question correctly, then yes. 
    Example:
    You are the PIC from take-off in country A and fly for 2 hours.
    Approaching country B (the ‘banned’ country) the other pilot becomes PIC and flys for an hour.
    After leaving country B and entering country C, you resume PIC duties, fly for 2 hours, and land.
    After all is said and done, your logbook will show one takeoff/landing and 4 hours of flight time as PIC, and the other pilot can log 1 hour of PIC time.  Just as long as you don’t log the time the other pilot flys, and vice-versa, you’re O.K.  Just be honest and keep a seperate flight time count for each pilot.
    This is very similar to what I do here faily often, which is takeoff in VFR and fly for a while, an IFR rated pilot will take over if/when conditions exist, and I will resume VFR for landing if conditions are O.K. 

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  2. Kent Shook on Mar 31, 2011

    Actually, under FAA rules, if you remain the sole manipulator of the flight controls even while your friend is acting as PIC, you can log the entire flight as PIC (FAR 61.51(e)(1)(i)) even if you are not acting as PIC for the entire flight.
     
    But yes, it is allowable to change who the pilot in command is during the flight.

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