FlyBy Nav Pro looks like a neat toy if you like gadgets. I'm an old school pilot and instructor and these devices can make lazy and sometimes dangerous pilots. A pilot can use PC type planning tools without checking the paper charts and fly into and through restricted airspace or active MOAs. Plan your flight on the chart and draw a nice wide line and circle all your checkpoints and follow your flight log. Most important LOOK OUT THE WINDOW most of the time and never loose track of where you are visibly. Ok ...enough instruction! Yes I think FlyBy would be great linked to a GPS but what happens when the batteries run down or the Palm dies. Make sure you get a good understanding of navigation and lost procedures and plan your trip using the charts, NOTAMs, and a good weather briefing.

Flyme, how do I log Safety Pilot time. Can I log this time as PIC? Richard

The logging of Safety Pilot time in an airplane seems to come up from time to time and is often misunderstood. The misunderstanding that leads some pilots to improperly log Safety Pilot time as PIC time requires both FAR Parts 61 and 91 for clarification. First lets start with the requirements for Simulated Instrument Flight from FAR Part 91.109. To conduct simulated instrument flight and act as Safety Pilot you must have at least a private pilot certificate with appropriate category and class rating for the airplane being used. The manipulator of the controls must also have at least a private ticket with appropriate category and class ratings and the airplane equipped with dual or throw over controls.

OK, now that meeting the requirements of Part 91.109 makes the flight legal how do we get credit for acting as Safety Pilot? Note that instructors can log PIC while giving instruction but everyone else must be manipulating the controls which includes student solo flights. See FAR 61.51 Pilot Logbooks. FAR Part 61.55 gives the requirements for Second In Command where it states that if the requirements of Part 91.109 are met then the Safety Pilot may log the time as Second In Command. Note that SIC for the most part is intended for time logged as SIC in an aircraft requiring two crew members and a Cessna 152 as well as most light aircraft do not. This is why the airlines when reviewing an applicants logbook will throw out the Safety Pilot SIC time from his/her total time. So keep up with your Safety Pilot time if you wish as SIC but DO NOT log it as PIC. Keep in mind that PIC time is what you need to build and that total time from a logbook filled with SIC Safety Pilot time carries little weight in the industry and when working on higher ratings.

Flyme, I have heard different things from several people and not sure what to believe, but they say you can log Flight sim hours. Can you? How would you log it and prove it. I have every version of Microsft Flight Sim ever made from the last 10 years. If I had to guess, I'd say I would have 10,000 hours of Flight Simming. Can you clear this up. Thanks Jeff

MS Flight Sim is not a FAA approved sim software and does not support FAA approved hardware such as Yoke, instruments, throttle quadrant, etc. Also only sim time with and instructor can be logged if you had a several thousand dollar approved sim in your home. I use ON TOP from ASA which is approved for my personal sim but can not log sim time on it but students can if I'm with them. A PC based sims is called a PCATD and only 10 hours on an approved PC based sim can be used for a pilot rating. You can find all the legal info in 14 CFR under the FAR's. Checkout my web site index under PCATD training devices and you will see my system which is the minimum approved system for about $3000. But don't stop flying MS Flt Sim. I have used it to give many lessons on navigation and use it often myself to fly an approach to an airport I haven't been to before. Its a great pilot training and proficiency aid.

Hi Flyme, I am working on an instrument rating but I do not have 50 hours of PIC cross country time. Does my solo cross country time while I was a student pilot count towards the 50 hours of cross country PIC needed for an instrument rating. Ali

Yes it does. A change to FAR 61.51 (e)(4)(i-iii) now states as seen in the 1999 FAR:

Hey Flyme. Cool idea for a web site. I made a cross-country trip to West Texas and the wind always seems to be blowing there. The wind velocity I can take but the cross-wind landings give me some trouble. I crab into the wind as low as I can get on final before I straighten up but drift down wind to the edge of the runway as I touch down. I have the same trouble with the low wing slip method. Which method is the best and how can I practice the procedure. LC

LC, I'm assuming that you're flying light single engine tricycle gear aircraft and you are not exceeding its cross-wind limitation. If this is the case the Side Slip or Low Wing method is for you. The following is printed in my syllabus and is a technique that you can practice. I suggest you take along your favorite flight instructor and get current.

CROSSWIND TRAINING TECHNIQUES

Several low approaches will be made over the runway without landing. Each approach will demonstrate a component of cross-wind control. When the student can compensate for drift while maintaining alignment with the runway centerline, landing practice can begin.

Flyme I have a question. What is different between "turbine transition" and "jet rating". Please give me your answer, I'll appreciate it. Thank you! CH Chung

A turbine transition is the transition you make by moving up to tubine powered aircraft from piston powered aircraft. Now a turboprop transition from piston power does not require a "Type Rating" if the airfraft weights less than 12,500lbs. A transition to "TurboJet" does require a Jet (turbojet) type rating.

Fly Safe!

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