PIC during ME training?
 

I had a guy tell me that there was an endorsment that your instructor could give you to log PIC during ME training. Any truth to this? Or is this part of the endorsment you would get if you had to fly solo to go to where you DE is located?

The only way I know you could log PIC before the check ride is to be alone in the aircraft. So yes, if you have a solo endorsement you can log PIC while solo just like ASEL. Good luck with insurance allowing that though. :)

I think the reg says something appropriately rated and sole manipulator of the controls

No, you can't log PIC unless you solo (good luck getting insurance).

I think some schools use the "supervised solo" where the instructor sits in the airplane and supposedly doesn't touch anything.

Stupid...but I'm pretty sure it's happening.

Oh it's happening. Another case of insurance companies driving federal law. To get a multi add-on to a PPL you need solo time. But since insurance companies wont cover that, a law was written that allows the "supervised solo"

To do an added class rating to your private pilot certificate, you do NOT need any solo time...read 61.63c "need not meet the specified training time requirements prescribed by this part..."

Also, you can not log PIC in a multi engine airplane unless you have those privileges on your certificate, or you are flying solo with the proper endorsement. Read 61.31d...

That's true, but you cannot log it as solo/PIC. It counts for certain regulatory requirements INSTEAD of actual solo, but that does not mean it IS solo.

I've heard about that before but didn't know where it came from or applied. So "Supervised Solo" would be having an instructor sit there but allowing the flight time to count to a part 61 rating? For instance, a person who wants to get their PPL AMEL (as their initial PPL) would have an instructor sit in there on the XCs just not touch/say anything? That allows them to meet the reqs under part 61?

Wild...

The "performing the duties of pilot in command in a multiengine (or for that matter SEL) airplane with an authorized instructor" clause is for the Commercial, not the PVT.

The game is you do the MEL as an add on, then you're rated in the class A/C so you can log the Commercial training as PIC. But no one will turn you lose in a twin these days so the schools complained to the FAA who created the "performing the duties" reg. Now it's come full circle and the flight schools complained "We don't have to turn our MEL students loose, why should we have to risk our SEL aircraft?" And so the FAA allows a commercial student to drag his security blanket along in a 172.