Originally Posted by
rickair7777
For clarity, what we call "Total Time" does not exist in the FAR's, and is not officially defined anywhere.
Total time is defined by its applicability/utility in the FAR's.
1. "Aeronautical Experience"
2. "Total Time as a Pilot"
3. "Flight Time"
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/61.159
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retriev...n=14y1.0.1.1.1
For example, the
aeronautical experience of a flight engineer allows 1500 hours of
flight time to credit 500 hours (3:1) towards the
"total time as pilot" needed for an ATP.
On the other hand, I hold a "Remote Pilot" license to pilot a UAS. The definition of flight time in Part 1 states:
"Flight time means:
(1) Pilot time that commences when an aircraft moves under its own power for the purpose of flight and ends when the aircraft comes to rest after landing;"
so technically, I can pilot a drone and log it in a logbook as flight time. However, this aeronautical experience doesn't have any applicability towards "Total Time as a Pilot" for additional ratings.....at least at this time.