Originally Posted by
flyheavys85
I guess you've got me on a technicality there: it would still be safety pilot time, but in the hopes of spurning the interest of anyone who might be interested I'd figure I'd ask around (especially as "inexpensive" as it is); but that's not to say it couldn't still be made into, wait for it, quality time... compared to flying around in the pattern all day or taking the foreigner route and snoozing as soon as the hobbs starts ticking.
And that technicality could be all it takes to lose your ticket. So I'd think twice about this.
If you split the costs and are not going some place where you were both going to be going anyway, then you are in violation of the regs and can be busted for it.
If you swap who rents the plane each trip, then you would be close to, but not completely halved, and technically it would be legal. However if someone from the FAA found out what you were doing, or if an interviewer discovered what you were doing, I think they'd probably have issues with it.
Don't just go with the opinions of those who've posted here, contact your FSDO and see what they say. If it's in your favor, you want it in writing.