If you're the FO but are flying a leg do you get to log it as PIC? Do some companies do it one way and some the other?

 

The guy sitting left seat is still the one with the last say, so he logs PIC. Just because he is letting you touch the controls, doesn't mean that you get to log PIC.

 

It depends. If the aircraft you are flying requires a second in command, then no, you can't log PIC. Generally, most commuters operate under 121, which means that you have to be qualified under the company's ops specs to be the captain (PIC). If you're flying around in an old B-18 and the pilot elects to throw you in the left seat on the "empty legs" going home, that's a different story.

 

Hello guys, this is an interesting topic.
According to current (FAA) regulations, type rated F/O's are allowed to log PIC time for those legs they actually flew as the sole manipulator of the controls. For hiring purposes, most airlines will not consider those hours as PIC time. In my humble opinion, there is only one Pilot in Command and is the one who signs the logbook

 

Yes it is...and I agree. The guy who signs for the aircraft is the guy the FAA is going to hang if anything happens, so he/she is the true PIC. Also true, is if both pilots are type rated either can log PIC. To be more clear, I guess the defining line would be when a flight is hauling revenue. The company ops specs has to designate a PIC for that flight. If the company designates the other pilot on the next flight to be the PIC, then he logs the time. This is not common among airlines, regional or otherwise. You're either a captain or an FO: captains log PIC and FOs log SIC, type rating or no.

On the other hand, a lot of coporate guys are typed in everything owned by the company, since it's "part 91", the guy in the left seat logs the PIC, and then they swap for the next leg -- I don't think airline hiring offices would disregard that. (Just my opinion)

 

How do these guys log their time? I have never seen a pilot after his/her flight pull out their logbook and add that in.

 

Most carry these small books to log time and expenses. Loggable hours are often different than pay hours. Of course the pay hours are the most important, neglecting a few or a lot of flights for time doesn't really matter.

 

If you are rated in the aircraft, you (as an SIC) can log PIC under FAR 61. The captain (person who signs for the aircraft) logs PIC under FAR 1 regardless of whether he is the manipulator of the controls. If you have both types of PIC, it is best to keep separate logbook columns since some companies (I'm look at you Jetblue and Southwest) only accept FAR 1 PIC.

 

That is the best explanation I have ever heard! And by "rated" that's type rated right - with it "typed" on the back of your license?

 

Airlines (part 135 and 121) only have one PIC and one SIC. The Captain logs PIC and the first officer logs SIC. It doesn't matter who's typed and who's flying. I'm not sure about relief officers on long international flights. They are TIC (third in command), so I guess they need a new column in the logbook?

I don't need to "log time" anymore, but I do it for fun. I'd like to see many hours I can get when I retire. I have 11,000+ and 6 airline type ratings with over 20 years to go until retirement, so I could get another 15,000 easy. My company keeps records too, so I can get my flights off my computer at home and log them. I keep a small log (like the popular little red book) and get my times off the ACARS to log. I check the company to see if they change the times later. Yes, they have been changed before.