Everyone needs a little clarity
Hangar flying is as important to general aviation pilots as benefits and time off are to airline pilots. It's where smooth landings and approaches to minimums are memorialized. A recent session turned into a game of "most misunderstood regulations." What follows are a few favorites.
Instructors need a medical. Believe it or not, a flight instructor is not required to hold a medical certificate to instruct. According to various letters of interpretation written by the FAA, an instructor is effectively considered a teacher, not a paid pilot. Like many things, there are limitations to this. Anytime the instructor is required to act as pilot in command (PIC), he must hold a minimum of a third class medical.
Two private pilots can't log PIC at the same time. Airline pilots aren't the only ones allowed to log time in either seat. According to FAR 91.109, a safety pilot must be present if you want to fly under the hood. Because the safety pilot is a required flight crewmember, he may log the time. But how do you log the time?
If both pilots agree that the safety pilot is PIC, he may log the time as PIC if he is qualified to act as such. If not, the safety pilot should log second in command. The pilot flying will also log PIC, but as sole manipulator of the controls, per FAR 61.51. The regulations make a distinction between acting as PIC and logging PIC time.
You have to land at a designated landing site. This is possibly the most misunderstood regulation. Recently, I heard that a pilot landed his helicopter in a McDonald's parking lot to get some lunch. The person relating the story asked if this was a legal operation. Absolutely. Not surprising, there are conditions.
The local government has the authority to restrict aircraft landing sites, just as private landowners have the right to restrict access to their land. But assuming the local government didn't have an ordinance against it, and the McDonald's didn't oppose it, the landing was legal. This is why seaplanes are allowed to land in many bodies of water, pilots are allowed to land on frozen lakes, and helicopters can land on top of buildings. Of course, if there's an incident, the FAA may find that you were careless and reckless in your operation of the aircraft.
Be it documents or maintenance, logging time or currency, the regulations are ripe for misunderstanding. Many experienced pilots often are stumped on what others would consider an easy question. Call the Pilot Information Center at 800/USA-AOPA (872-2672) for advice. The aviation technical specialists have mediated thousands of hangar-flying sessions over the years.
For more information on logging time, visit AOPA's Logbooks and Logging Time ( www.aopa.org/members/files/topics/logbooks.html).
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