From: utzoo!watmath!watcgl!dmmartindale
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Title: Re: safety pilots
Article-I.D.: watcgl.116
Posted: Thu Jan 13 22:55:22 1983
Received: Fri Jan 14 00:17:02 1983
References: rabbit.1039

The Canadian rules on this are simpler and clearer:

	Any pilot who holds a private, commercial, senior commercial, or
	airline transport pilot licence and who is qualified as to category,
	class and type on the aircraft used, may be considered competent to
	act as a safety pilot for the purpose of instrument flying practice.
	The pilot undergoing practice must also hold a valid pilot licence
	endorsed for the category, class, and type of aircraft used.
	Flight time so acquired may not be credited towards the 20 hours of
	instrument instruction required for the initial issue of an
	instrument rating.

It's fairly clear that both pilots need to be legally able to act as pilot-
in-command - both must be rated for the aircraft.  The regulations say
elsewhere that a pilot may "exercise the privileges of the licence" only
if his medical hasn't expired - I presume this extends to the privilege of
acting as safety pilot.  There is no "currency" requirement for day VFR
flight equivalent to the American BFR - once you're licenced and if you keep
your medical up to date, you're always legal.  Also, there is no such thing
as a signoff for "complex" airplanes - the private licence entitles you to
fly anything up to 4000 pounds gross regardless of engine, propeller, or
gear type, as long as your licence is valid for the category and class.

Also, EITHER pilot may be designated pilot-in-command.  If the safety pilot
is PIC, he logs PIC time and the practicing pilot logs dual time.  If the
practicing pilot is designated PIC, he logs PIC time and the safety pilot
usually logs nothing (he can log co-pilot time if the aircraft C of A requires
a co-pilot, but otherwise nothing).

In light of all of the above, it seems clear that the safety pilot must be
qualified to act as PIC, even if he isn't PIC for this flight.  I very much
doubt that he could claim that he didn't need to be sober because he wasn't PIC.

I would feel VERY uncomfortable as a safety pilot in a plane with a
throw-over control wheel.

	Dave Martindale