Well it is a little more complicated then that, I will try and cover the differences in logging between Europa-land and FAA-land.
FAA:
Under FAA you can log PIC time when you are rated in the aircraft so most of the time the training for your Instrument rating is logged PIC.
Europe:
Time flown with an Instructor can not be logged PIC, yet in Europa-land there are things such as SPIC, PICUS and P1S which are totally confusing
FAA:
Allows the logging of so-called "safetypilot time" which is very dubious, even under FAA as it was never intended for extensive timebuilding but for currency reasons.
So Pilot A flies under the hood while Pilot B is now a required crew member under VFR to "see and avoid" and therefore Pilot B can also log PIC.
Pilot A continues to log PIC since he/she is the "sole manipulator of the controls".
You can only log the PIC and Total Time, not cross country, IFR, approaches, landings or anything else so it is truly useless time and just logbook padding
Europe:
Does not know or recognize "safetypilot PIC".
Pilot A controlling the airplane and flying under the hood can still log legitimate Europe (JAA) PIC. So why do it?
To legitimetely help your training buddy get more instrument practice time without having to pay for an Instructor. Hopefully your buddy will reciprocate and fly with you in return. Just no sense in logging it if you intend to return to Europe.
- Pilot B needs to clean up his/her logbook and deduct all the looking-out-the-window PIC from their PIC total to arrive at a Europe(JAA) accepted PIC total.
- All the time that you have logged PIC while you were not at the controls flying the airplane needs to be deducted.
- FAA Safety pilot PIC DOES NOT COUNT towards your JAA required 100hrs PIC for your JAA CPL
Timebuilding in the USA is very popular and rightfully so because:
- Generally the weather is much better, free thunderstorms in Florida
- Less Mickey Mouse airspace (MATZ, MITZ,LATZ,ATZ,TMA and whatever else)
- More airspace where you will actually learn something (B,C,D)
- You can fly for 30 hrs and still be in the same country with the same airspace and speaking the same language
- Airspace that you are actually allowed to fly in/through as a Private Pilot
- Fantastic radar services (free)
- Fantastic flight planning and weather briefing services (free)
- Fantastic aircraft at decent rates for a change ( New C182/G1000 w/ Instructor for the same prices as you would pay for a clapped out Pa28)
