Logging Check Airman Time
 

I have a question about logging check pilot time. Much of the time that I am performing the duties of a check pilot, I'm not the PIC of the flight. These would be when I'm doing a line check for a captain, either from the right seat, or from the jump seat.

So how would the major airlines expect me to log this time? I've been told that some people log all LCA time as PIC time, but that doesn't seem 100% correct since I'm not the PIC on record, even though I'm still expected to take over the plane from the PIC if warranted. I've been logging PIC LCA time as PIC, SIC LCA time as SIC, and both of these, including line checks from the jumpseat as "Instructor time". Does that seem like I'm logging some time twice? Or should I log it all separately? Log it all as PIC and Instructor time? I currently don't include LCA time from the jump seat in my total time, only instructor time.

Maybe along the lines as DPEs do....”other” time?
Separate column.

If you doing FO OE, then you're PIC (and instructor).

CA OE, you're still PIC (and instructor). The CA logs SIC until released to the line.

Line check from the right seat, I'd probably do PIC and instructor since ultimately the buck stops with you (the CA can also log PIC in that case since he's line qualified).

Line check from the JS, I'd do instructor and but not total time. Technically there's no FAA definition of total time, but employers might expect that to be actual pilot time. You could probably get away with PIC, but I'd take the conservative road.

Instruction includes both teaching and safety, even if you're not doing any teaching you still have a safety role. Don't believe me? Try letting a line check crew do something dumb and see how long you keep your designation.

Or just create another column for other as Dubh said.

There's no clear right or wrong answer on this stuff, so just be consistent, logical, and conservative and you'll be fine. They'll be more interested in the fact that you're a LCA than exactly how you log it.

I ended up adding two more columns to my logbook, one for SIC as a LCA (that I'll probably count as PIC for application purposes) and LCA not counted as Total Time (for jump seat time as LCP). These are separate from Instructor time, which I already have a column for. Probably more complicated that it needs to be, but I'm a nerd when it comes to stuff like this, so the more info in there, the better, and I can explain it during an interview and calculate it however they would want to see it.