Student Pic Time...
 

When Dual Instruction Is Given, Can And Should The Student Log Pic?

If you maintain the rule that there can only be one PIC at any one time you can never go wrong. I can't say I followed that advice however. When I was trying to build time I logged PIC in a twin when I was "sole manipulator" even though I was sitting next to the real PIC. Hey, I was the one flying! It helped my argument that I had a MEI.

A STUDENT pilot can not log PIC unless flying solo.

A private pilot (or higher rated), student may log PIC for flights that he/she is appropriately rated.

Oh yeah, did you mean student pilot like someone who is not yet rated? I tend to think of a student as someone getting instruction regardless of ratings. An instrument student, for example.

I really should stay away from these CFI type questions. It has been WAY too long since I actually knew the answers.

Yep, FlyerJosh is right. The only way you are able to log PIC as a student pilot (actual student pilot without private pilot certificate or higher) is to be the sole occupant in the aircraft.

The only other person that would be allowed in the aircraft would be the flight instructor, since student pilots are not authorized to carry passengers. When a flight instructor is with you can only log it as dual received.

The only person allowed on board when at student pilot logs PIC is the student pilot. When a CFI is onboard, the CFI is acting as the PIC, so passengers may be carried legally during training flight. The best example of this is bringing another student along as an observer, which can significantly reduce flight training costs if conducted in an appropriate manner.

OOps, I forgot about that. :o

How does bringing an observer along reduce the cost of flight training? You cant charge them to come along.

It reduces the cost of training for the observer. I highly encourged my students to both observe other students as well as allow their flights to be observed.

I found through personal experience, that students that spent time observing (both on flights with me and with other CFIs), picked up concepts much quicker. Likewise, I found that by observing, I could generally cut off a few hours of training prior to solo, and roughly 10 hours over the entire course of training.

I doubt it buddy. Do you actually think the guys in the back are paying attention at all? They arent there because they want to be, but because they are forced to be. When was the last time you learned anything when you were forced to be there? Nice pipe dream/