Yoda2

It's definitely out there somewhere... I might have read it in an FAA legal interpretation, though I don't think so, as it is not illegal. Where I saw it was more likely in an accident report docket, so that would be like finding a needle in a haystack. At any rate, as I recall the PIC was pointing the finger at his pilot buddy working the radios/trying to deflect and throw his buddy under the bus... The FAA came back and said no dice; it only takes one person to fly that airplane, and that the PIC is 100% responsible. Which we, of course, know.

TaylorPilot

I would think that as PIC you are still responsible, so even if allowing a student pilot to work the radios, you should be listening to every call and every response. If the student pilot misses something, or says it back wrong, there is nothing wrong with making corrections or clarifications, just don't miss the calls because "he was handling it". I agree that they will take that excuse as a BS answer. You are PIC and responsible tip to tail. This is one example where ****** doesn't roll down hill.

Yoda2

Yes, but this is not always reality... Something as seemingly simplistic as letting another work the Comm radios can go off the rails. Especially when neither pilot has experience in a multi crew environment. In these cases it introduces a different dynamic, one that neither pilot may be used to, or even realize. The PIC can also succumb to two different possibilities. They can become more vigilant on overseeing the person with the Comms, or it can lull then into a false sense, that they are being slightly unburdened. Either is a bad deal. The additional responsibility of overseeing can detract from other responsibilities and end up as a distraction; alternatively, if the PIC sees themselves being unburdened, it can lead to them letting their guard down and being distracted in other ways, with either distraction type causing the PIC to miss a transmission. That's when things can get ugly...

TiredSoul

That’s BS.
You still listen to every transmission.
You don’t need multi crew CRM experience to delegate the radio.
You tell the other person what to say and you listen in.
We’re not talking high intensity high workload crazy busy airspace here.
They’re not trying to get into TEB on Xmas eve.
They’re flying VFR.
And the PIC is always responsible.

Yoda2

1)You never missed a call, ever???
2) Agree, you don't need Multi crew experience, and we've all done it fine without
3)How do you know it isn't busy airspace? Did I miss something? And in busy airspace you might not have the time to tell "them" what to say
4) Just because their flying VFR doesn't mean a whole lot, I learned to fly in the late 70's/early 80's in some of the busiest airspace in the country, the world for that matter. Except in a few cases, that kind of crazy busy hardly even exists today. So maybe you're right on that point.

1wife2airlines

Off topic but CRM and "tell em what to say" reminded me of an old tale how CRM worked on different aircraft.
727 takes off, contacts DEP, who asks "say type AC". FO looks at Captain and he says "tell em we are a 727"
DC9 takes off, contacts DEP, who asks "say type AC". FO radios, We are a DC9

TiredSoul

Oh excuse me very much.
The guy’s asking if he can work the radios as a student pilot and you’re making it into this big drama.
Yes he can.