Sim Time

[salapilot]

Could anyone tell me if i can log hours in my log book for sim's that are CAA approved? And more importantly can I log these as Total time alongside the normal single/multi hours flown.Therfore increasing my Hours for potential employers :confused:

[R.Don]

YEP :D

[salapilot]

R U Sure ?? :confused: :confused: cos i'm about to fill in my new log book and add up my approved sim time and don't want to get into trouble with the CAA :mad:

[Morse Code]

Salapilot.........

No!! Sim time is not counted for actual flying time. Do not log this time as most employers i have been with will object to it and can cause you trouble in the future.

[Manflex55]

There was a similar thread a few months ago. The answer was that, in order to log time in a sim, you EITHER have to be type-rated in the sim you are using, OR under the instruction of someone who is type-rated on the aircraft and is a CAA approved sim instructor.

With FNPT devices, you have to be under the instruction of an approved instructor (eg MCC), and/or the sim ust be approved by the CAA.

Airline-wise, U may count the above sim time in your TT calculation (some do, some don't, I don't think it can cause U any trouble unless of course 50% of your TT is in a sim !!), but NOT for licence issue (eg the 1500 TT rqd for the ATPL).

If validity of sim time is questionned, then why not questionning the validity of taxi time ? If U are queuing for 45mn in Chicago or Miami (happened to me), waiting for the rwy to be cleared, should U still log this as flight time & is it more valuable than a 45mn sim session with engine failures ?

MF

[126.9]

:) I'll go along with Morse Code on this one. Regardless of the legal ramifications, most companies will object to you counting time in a synthetic device as time spent flying an aircraft. :)
:D My own opinion is that; no matter how realistic or good they are, at the end of the session, it's just a tin box on hydraulic jacks. :D

[BmPilot21]

Manflex55, you are wrong. JAR-FCL states that "An applicant for an ATPL(A) shall have completed at least 1500 hours of flight tome as a pilot of aeroplanes of which not more than 100 hours may have been completed in a flight simulator"

[TooHotToFly]

Bmpilot is correct - there is a certain amount of sim time you can log towards each licence (even 5 hours for the PPL). Most logbooks have a seperate section (either at the front or the back) which allows for sim time, so that your total flying time does not include sim time, but when you are applying for licences you can count the relevant amount of approved sim time.

[Manflex55]

BmPilot,

I am familiar with the regs, thanks. & that's just the point : 100h in "A" flight simulator... which one ? For example, I know for sure that the 20h MCC sim time does NOT count towards ATPL issue... although this sim has to B CAA-approved to B used for MCC training ! That was the reason for my above statement. Sim time flown as part of licence (PPL, CPL) or type training DOES count, but what about the sim time flown "for fun" ? That's how I understood the question which started this topic.

MF

[BmPilot21]

In order to get a CPL/IR, you need a Loft qualification, so surely this must count?

That effectively means that sim time in a cr*ppy FRASCA Warrior sim counts, but MCC / LOFT in a big jet sim doesn't. Sounds crazy to me.

Anybody phoned the CAA? Might be worth it. I've got 50hrs LOFT (MCC included). Part of a full CPL course, surely this must count?

[Julian]

My logbook actualy has a 'Sim/Approved flight training devices' column in it to distinguish between real aircraft and toy ones...

[LimaNovember]

I`m using a Jeppesen Pilot Logbook (meets JAR-FCL 1.080 Requirements). On page "instruction for use" the sim time is not entered towards your TT.