Logbook help, Total time and PIC time
 

So, I've read many different definitions, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't short-changing myself on my resume.

1. Total Time. Coming from the Navy my logbook says First Pilot, Copilot, Aircraft Commander and Special Crew Time. Am I stuck with First pilot plus Copilot for my Total Time? I believe I am, but I wish I could include in that Total Time my Aircraft Commander time as I really didn't log anything while flying with my 2 junior pilots and I was out of the seat, but still logging AC time. (or in the seat but the percentage breakdown gave them more than they actually sat)

For instance, 1.0, 1.0, 10.0, 8.0.... I only logged 2 hrs towards my Total Time on this 10 hr flight, but did get the 10 hrs AC time (8 hrs put in the Special Crew category and wasted). That right? I have about 800 hrs I was airborne, signing for the jet, but not in the left or right seat. All wasted and can't be counted towards Total Time?


2. PIC time. Should I leave off the "at the controls" portion in my PIC total before the time I was a qualified Aircraft Commander? While I was a junior pilot and still not a qualified Aircraft Commander, I can't use all that First pilot time in my PIC time, correct? I can only use my Aircraft Commander time plus the times I did not actually sign for jet but was after the date I became a qualified Aircraft Commander for my PIC time, correct?

I may not be 100% correct, and I'm sure someone else will chime in if I mess it up, but I believe that First Pilot, Copilot, and AC would all count towards your total time.

In regards to PIC, most airlines want to see PIC in terms of signing for the aircraft, which would just be AC time. "At the controls" PIC time is anytime you are rated to fly the aircraft and are sole manipulator of the controls, so I believe that the time before being qualified as AC can be logged as "at the controls" since you were rated to fly that aircraft.

Disclaimer: Although I filled out an application on Airline APPS prior to separating from AD USN, I went to a full time military job and never interviewed with an airline.

I counted my total pilot time as multiengine time, and all of my AC time as PIC. When I did this, my PIC time was still a lot less than multiengine so it didn't look strange. P-3 crews typically divided the flight time equally in thirds. Your generosity in giving almost all of the pilot time to your 2P and 3P was a lot different from the VP community norm.

A 9 hour flight equals 6 hours multiengine time, 9 hours PIC. For my electronic logbook, I created a separate column labeled "Total Pilot Time" which is different from "Duration". I also added a "Special Crew Time" column. When I filled out applications in the past, I only used TPT to describe my flight time.

I did not include any First Pilot Time after my 2P checkride as PIC because that is more the Part 61 definition "Rated in the airplane, sole manipulator of the flight controls." I think the airlines only care about "directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft". Whether you're asleep in the crew bunk, or manning the controls, Part 1 definition equates to AC time. So log AC time as PIC.

Thank you thank you.

So with Instructor time, "directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft" fits this category, even though some of those flights I may have been instructing the AC that actually signed for the jet, but in actuality if anything happened I would be blamed as the IP without signing.

I don't want to pad my logbook, but I don't want to eliminate everything and fall below magic thresholds (1000 PIC). Thanks!

That jive with what others believe the airlines want?

So I have my PIC time figured out, thanks! But, I wanted to clarify total time. Do I use only the time I was in either of the two seats or do I also add in the time I was not in the seats but was the Aircraft Commander responsible for the jet? (3 pilot on crew for 2 seats)