Originally Posted by
Walkeraviator
Well I got to talk to my old company's check airman. He claims that our captains have always been checked on the autopilot. So obviously, I can not log SIC time in this aircraft. However he does claim that even under part 135 if I am sole manipulator of teh conrols, it can be logged as PIC (apparently there is a difference in acting as PIC and logging PIC). I do know for a fact that all the part 91 empty legs that I fly, I can log as PIC. He then went on to claim that I can log all my time in the aircaft as total time, it doesnt have to be PIC or SIC. It just seems wierd that I cant log it, when the company required me to be there, and paid me quite well for doing so. I got a 135.293 ride once a year and a 61.57 ride once a year.
There's nothing which says that you cannot log total time, but there is no regulatory allowance for logging total time which is not PIC, SIC, FE, dual received, etc.
Personally I consider that to be logging "airplane ride" time and when employers ask for total time they will generally expect that all of it falls into one of the other categories. I would be careful logging only total time.
It looks like this all hinges on the semantics of whether the use of an SIC waives the autopilot authorization. There is no obvious right answer...it is in the eye of the beholder, although it sounds like other folks have been able to use SIC time under the same conditions.
Maybe you need to find a FSDO which will accept that time for an ATP ride...then do your ATP in their jurisdiction. Make sure you discuss this with the examiner in advance so there are no recriminations later. That should validate the flight time at least for federal purposes. Then it will be up to employers.
If you REALLY want to nail this down with certainty, write a letter to the FAA Chief Counsel, including all of the details. He should render a formal opinion. But if he doesn't give the answer you want, there will be a lot of ex-135 FO's looking to find you...