Originally Posted by
athlete526
I'm sure this question gets asked all the time, but as a safety pilot, do you have to be current in the aircraft such as your three takeoffs and landings in the last 90 days? Under 91.109 it just say appropriately rated in category and class, but now you're logging pic time and as per 61.57 you need to be current, correct? Stop me if I'm wrong but this is my interpretation of it.
Thanks for your thoughts.
It's complicated but ultimately pretty straightforward. As gestrich pointed out, the currency regulation applies to the pilot who is acting as PIC.
The place that people often get confused is that either the safety pilot or the flying pilot can be the pilot in command (forget logging for a moment; we're talking about acting as PIC). If the safety pilot is the one acting as PIC then the safety pilot must meet all the requirements for acting as PIC. Period.
If the safety pilot is not acting as PIC, then none of the PIC-specific requirements apply. SIC requirements will apply - some of them the SIC reg deals with it.
Back to logging - what the safety pilot may log depends on his status as PIC. If the safety pilot is acting as PIC, the safety pilot may log his flight time as PIC time. If the flying pilot is acting as PIC, then the safety pilot may log SIC time.