What hours can he claim?

[HercFeend]

Imagine this. There’s this guy, he’s revising and preparing for the CPL flight test in New Zealand. He’s conducting multiple flights with an instructor during which he’s doing 99%, if not all, of the flying and is making all the command decisions.

What hours should or even what hours could the pilot in the left hand seat claim in his log book? Solo, Dual, Dual but with his name in the PIC column - but then does that count as PIC hours? He has a PPL so can be Pilot In Command but accompanied by an Instructor. It’s not a solo flight because he has someone with him, if that person wasn’t an instructor however it would be solo. Does it have to be recorded as a dual flight because he has an instructor with him........?

Grey area! Some other hour categories could be called for.

Although, as always, open for discussion, I'd be very interested to hear a definitive authoritative answer from NZCAA, an instructor or examiner.

Many thanks.

[Whopity]

Ask yourself a very simple question, who is the Pilot in Command? Is there any aircraft documentation identifying this? and who would be responsible in an emergency? If it is clearly defined, you have your answer.

It sounds as though your hypoerthetical person is taking an instructor along with him to critique what he is doing. So the question is, is this second person working as an instructor, in which case he is PIC or is he really a passenger making comments to his mate on a private flight. If it were part of the approved course training it would clearly be a Dual Flight. If it is two friends, both qualified, going on a private flight, then it is for them to agree what their operating capacities are. If they don't know, they shouldn't be flying at all. In any case the instructor should know the answer.

[+TSRA]

G'Day,


The only answer NZCAA can give you is that if an instructor is on board it is to be classed as Dual, while if no instructor is carried than it is solo - this is because of the way licences and ratings are issued.
There are two ways of answering this question:

There are, however, two questions you must ask yourself here:

1) Are you paying in any way for the services of the instructor?

If you are, then you must class it as dual - because the instructor is utilizing their Commercial Pilot Licence for hire or reward, with the service being the analysis of your actions as a professional service - whether the school calls it "accompanied solo" or other similar term. The fact is there is no such regulatory backing for "accompanied solo" in New Zealand or here in Canada, so this is simply a way for the instructors to earn more money while under the guise of you going solo.

2) Who has full, operational control of the aircraft during an emergency?

If at any point the instructor says to you, or you state to the instructor that during an emergency they would take over, then you claim it as dual because you are no longer following every point meeting the requirements for Pilot-in-Command, therefore you cannot claim solo. If the instructor is happy to sit on their hands during an actual EFATO and have you do everything without any input, then claim it as solo.

Last but not least, look at what you said.

There’s this guy, he’s revising and preparing for the CPL flight test in New Zealand. He’s conducting multiple flights with an instructor during which he’s doing 99%, if not all, of the flying and is making all the command decisions.


99% of the flying. So if you are not doing all the flying (read 100%) and making all the command decisions then its dual. Because here is my question to you - what is the last 1% of the flying that the instructor is doing? The important bits like take-offs and landings? ;)

[HercFeend]

Thanks for the replies.

Pretty much as I though but just wanted to clarify.

As for this 'guy' - he's doing CPL revision, I sincerely hope the instructor isn't doing the take off and landings still +TSRA.......lol :O

Thanks again.