Originally Posted by
mojo6911
The FAA has ruled if you have A015 Ops Specs and use the autopilot, the SIC is not a required crewmember and cannot log the time. The only way an SIC would be required is if the PIC has a restriction on his certificate. How many captains have the SIC required restriction?
There is another interpretation from Chief Counsel that is exactly opposite of this. It says that even an operator who has AO15 can choose to utilize an SIC. This places them under 135.101. There reasoning is based on verbage. 135.105 says the operator "may" utilities an AP in lieu... it does not say must. Additionally A015 say "authorized" and not "required"