P.S. I noticed your profile, which must be out of date because you state that you are presently flying as a co-pilot on the S-76; presumably assisting with the checklists and doing the r/t. How can you log "PIC" flight time when the aircraft is sitting on the ground and hasn't yet first moved for the purpose of flight?
Also, why does your company require you to log 800 hrs per year in your personal flying logbook?
Shyte Hawk, where do i say my company requires me to log 800hrs per year? Please re-read my post!
I realise recently people aren't getting up to 800hrs a year, but when they were busy, pilots would hit 800/900hrs (whatever the figure, i'd never do that many anyway) and then be unable to fly anymore. So it's beneficial to a comapny to have the pilots log less time.
How can you log "PIC" flight time when the aircraft is sitting on the ground and hasn't yet first moved for the purpose of flight?
I see we're now arguing over the finer points of the English Language now.
Did I say I personally logged PIC time? No, but then you probably didn't mean that. I'll say it again, imagine you've just taken your shiny new police helicopter out of the hangar, started it up, and then say a nicy shiny fire truck or fuel bowser is too close and as he moves off, he clips the helicopter. As far as your concerned, there is no PIC at that time? Who would sort out the accident report and what would they be called in that paperwork? 'Person sat on their backside who happened to be at the controls at the time?'
It makes me laugh when the uninformed think a co-pilot just does RT and helps with checklists. Typical single pilot mentality.
I'm lucky enough to fly for a company who is moving away from that terminology, and we have handling Pilot and non handling pilot. PF or PNF. The guys I fly with are total professionals, and let me fly as much as they do. I bet a few of them even let me fly more than themselves when we're rostered to fly together.
Here's another one for you then Shyte, at the end of the day's flying, the co-pilots would climb out of the a/c to go do the paperwork etc, and the Commander would taxi the a/c back around to the hangar. Guess what, the time was still being logged by the co-pilots! Result! Not only that, if one or the other got out whilst re-fueling between sectors, the time would still be logged while you're making coffee/tea.
The aircraft hours aren't affected by what the pilot logs in his personal flying logbook, in fact if ground taxying is concerned, it's less than the pilot's flight time anyway
Another thing I never understood. If an engine is running, it is subject to wear and tear. The oil degrades. Components are in use aren't they? The blades are still at flying speed, spinning in air, again, subject to wear and tear. So why does the logged time only count whilst the helicopter is airborne? Because the wear and tear is greater?. Maybe there is a simple explanation.
