Right, I just got off the phone with the CAA, On a single pilot aircraft there can only be one P1 and no P2 therefore the safety pilot cannot log the time. The only exception being an instructor or examiner.
As for the safety pilot being current he does not even need to be a pilot.
But the thing I was most surprised about is that they said that as long as you have a valid licence and IR you can simulate IFR with screens on a VFR flight without anybody else on board qualified or not! Now is it just me or does that not make any sense? how are you supposed to avoid other aircraft etc?
AS for the portuguese, although they are part of the JAA I think they have been VERY slow in adopting the JARs hence the different rules.
Santan