(e) Logging pilot-in-command flight time. (1) A sport, recreational, private, commercial, or airline transport pilot may log pilot in command flight time for flights-
(i) When the pilot is the sole manipulator of the controls of an aircraft for which the pilot is rated, or has sport pilot privileges for that category and class of aircraft, if the aircraft class rating is appropriate;"

This section sounds to me that a first officer at a 121 airline with the appropriate type rating can log PIC for the legs he flew. I have always understood that only the person that signed for the aircraft (captain) could log it as PIC. If this is the case I suppose I could have gotten a job in Asia a long time ago.

Yes, you can log "sole manipulator" PIC while serving as SIC in 121 if you happen to have a PIC type rating. There might be a few folks in this boat (downgrades, etc).

If you have only an SIC type rating, that would be a grey area in my opinion...you are "rated" in the airplane, but not as PIC. The FAA would probably have to interpret that one for us as far as legality goes..

But US airlines are certainly smart enough to filter out out ACTUAL "signed for the airplane " PIC from sole manipulator, safety pilot, etc. You need actual, "signed-for-the-airplane" turbine PIC if you are apply to SWA, FDX, UPS, etc.

Not sure how foreign operations would view this.

What is an IRO to do? Create a special category of flying time in his log book...say (FMC) food and movie critic Seriously though what do you guys think, can he even include it as total time?