Quote:
Originally Posted by StartUp161WanaB
Also, i am not current with my instrument privileges and i have been flying "under the hood" with a safety pilot. can i log this as simulated time? i am most definite that the answer is NO but just curious and verifying.
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You need 6 approaches within 6 months in actual or simulated instrument conditions with holds, intercepting and tracking to stay IFR/Instrument current. If you don't have the above within 6 months, you can't fly IFR on your own but you have an additional 6 month "grace period" to get IFR current with a safety pilot or a CFI. After 12 months, you need to fly with a CFII to get an Instrument Competency Check aka Instrument Proficiency Check/IPC.
Can you log your flying as Simulated Instrument time? SURE - as long as you had a safety pilot or any appropriately rated pilot on-board and acting as a safety pilot. Can you use this "Simulated Instrument" time to get current? The answer to your question depends on how many months it has been since you were legal. If it has been 6 months but less than 12 months, you can do all of the stuff in the paragraph above and "get IFR current" since you would be within the 6 month grace period. If it has been 12 months, you can log it as Simulated Instrument, but you can't legally fly IFR/IMC until you get an IPC with a CFII.
A lot of my students/customers fly simulated instrument with their pilot friends before coming to me for an IPC. If the last time someone flew actual/simulated instrument was 4 years ago, there is no way I will be able to give them an IPC endorsement/sign-off because the flight skills just won't be there. Some people prefer to do all the flying for an IPC in a controlled environment with a CFII, even if they are very rusty and need 3-4 flights.