135.243 IFR PIC "actual flight"

[zuka]

14 CFR 135.243 (c) (2) says 135 IFR PIC must have:

"75 hours of actual or simulated instrument time at
least 50 hours of which were in actual flight;"

When it says "actual flight" does this mean actual flight in aircraft or actual instrument conditions as in IMC?

I found one interpretation of this saying that it implies that only 25 hours of simulator time can be counted, and another that says you must have 50 hours in the clouds (actual IMC).

Any feedback?

 

[Deftone45075]

Based on the way it is worded,

They are simply comparing simulated instrument (which could be obtained in a simulator or aircraft) to actual instrument (which can only be obtained in an aircraft in IMC).

They make no reference to simulator vs. aircraft.

 

[Timebuilder]

"75 hours of actual or simulated instrument time at least 50 hours of which were in actual flight;"

The 75 hours are instrument time, which can be composed of actual instrument time (flight by reference to flight instruments) or simulated instrument time, which can be simulated in an airplane by use of a view limiting device or a simulator, which includes an approved FTD, or flight training device.

50 of those hours must be in actual flight, which is flight in an aircraft, as in actually flying.

They don't want all of your 75 hours to be spent sitting in something that isn't an airplane. 50 hours must be spent in some sort of flying, in either simulated or "actual" conditions.

 

[labbats]

Timebuilder got it.

Up to 25 can be in sims. No more.