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3 Answers

Safety Pilot

Asked by: 5276 views Instrument Rating

Can a private pilot non instrument rated (working on their instrument rating) use a private pilot (instrument rated / non CFI) as a safety pilot while flying under the hood and log the time as simulated instrument time?

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3 Answers



  1. Richard Hages on Aug 12, 2010

    absolutely. The only requirement for a safety pilot is that he is rated appropriately to be the PIC of that aircraft. So if your friend has an ASEL private pilot license and you want him to be a safety pilot in an ASEL aircraft then you’re good to go

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  2. Richard Hages on Aug 12, 2010

    A little more reference for you:

    “91.109(b)No person may operate a civil aircraft in simulated instrument flight unless-
    (1) the other control seat is occupied by a safety pilot who possesses at
    least a private pilot certificate with category and class ratings
    appropriate to the aircraft being flown.”

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  3. Christopher D. Sams on Aug 16, 2010

    I wish I would have know this. In studying for my CFII, I recently found out that I only need 15 hours of instruction for my instrument. The rest of the time could have been with a safety pilot. I also wish my CFI at the time (who knew I was going to be a CFI/CFII) would have told me to take the CFII written at the same time since I understand it comes from the same bank of questions. I passed it again recently, but had to contend with those ADF and NDB questions…

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