Dublinpilot, I doubt they would allow me to log the time as PIC if it were not permissible, but I'll double check just in case. I'm guessing you mean this is something I should check with JCARC, and not the UK CAA?
They probably don't care what you write in your log book. It's of little consequence to them.
Rules may also be different there. I understand that there are quite a number of situations in the US for example where more than one person can log PIC time at the same time. It might be similar in Jordan.
What I'm really getting at is that if it's illegal (under Jordanian rules) for you to be PIC, then doing your hour building and logging that could really backfire. Finding out that a lot of your hour building was done illegally won't help your future career. Given that it breaks the mould of hour building in the USA, or instructing/glider tugging, it might well be a talking point in an interview. So better make sure its right before getting caught out with difficult questions!
It's not a question for the CAA in the UK. It's really a question for the Jordanians. You are flying one of their aircraft in their airspace. They decide what licence you need to do that. Do they allow you to be in command of that aircraft on the basis of your EASA licence?
I have no knowledge of the answer to that, but would think it unusual that they would say "Yes, but only with a Jordanian safety pilot".
That may indeed be the case, but it's also likely is that the "safety pilot" is really the pilot in command (because you can't legally be) and the school don't really care what you write in your log book as that's your problem. But that is only a guess on my part. You'll have to make the appropriate enqueries to know if you can legally act at pilot in command of that aircraft or not.
How about the concept of a safety pilot in general, ignoring my own specific situation? Isn't the whole point of a safety pilot that they take over in case of the PIC failing in his duties in some way?
Off hand I can only think of two cases where a safety pilot is required.
1. Where it's required because of the pilot's medical condition. Here the sole role of the safety pilot is to take over if the pilot is incapacitated.
2. Where the pilot's view is restricted for practicing instrument flight. Here their role is to inform the pilot of any traffic/obstruction that they see.
In neither does the safety pilot take over because they don't agree with something that the pilot in command is doing or a decision that they are making or not making. That's what makes your 'PIC but with a local safety pilot' sound strange to me.
dp