Far 135.243

[Hadhafang]

In FAR 135.243(c)(2) when it talks about the IFR PIC requirments, it mentions the instrument time: "75 hours of actual or simulated instrument time at least 50 hours of which were in actual flight." Is that 50 hours in terms of "actual" airplane flying (as opposed to a simulator) or "actual" instrument conditions (IMC). Just wondered if anyone has had this interpreted and how do employer view this?

Thanks

 

[say again]

Judging by how I read it, it's 50 hrs in the airplane!!! The other 25 can be in a sim.

 

[ePilot22]

Fly the airplane.

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

Why would you have simulated instrument time in IMC?

Actual flight is just that, flight in an actual airplane.



eP.

 

[TheGreatChecko]

Why would you have simulated instrument time in IMC?

I'm going to try and give you the benefit of the doubt and say you were kidding.....

I do hope as a CFI you have heard of foggles or a hood. How about a Frasca? That's how you simulate instrument conditions.

I don't know of any other way to keep instrument current when flying single engine props in generally good weather.

GreatChecko

 

[midlifeflyer]

Not that much to interpret.

"75 hours of actual or simulated instrument time

75 hours of logged instrument time. Instrument time can be logged in actual or simulated in flight (hood) or simulated in a simulator or flight training device. See 61.51(g)

at least 50 hours of which were in actual flight."

At least 50 hour of which are logable as "flight" time. "Flight" is =always= in an aircraft. Check out the definitions of "flight" and "aircraft" in FAR 1.

 

[ePilot22]

Actual VFR

I'm going to try and give you the benefit of the doubt and say you were kidding.....

Ummm....

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you know what IMC is.

Why would you have simulated instrument time in IMC?

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

Ok, the question here is "does actual flight mean IMC conditions"?

Again...WHY would you have simulated instrument time in IMC? I'm not talking about logging hood time in VFR conditions. I'm talking about logging hood time in ACTUAL IMC conditions. Nobody (and I say that at my own risk because I know the next poster will say they put on a hood while in IMC and log simulated instrument time while in IMC), but nobody would log simulated instrument time while flying in IMC so the interpretation would then be "actual flight" means the time you are in an airplane flying.




eP.

 

[transpac]

Ummm....

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you know what IMC is.

Why would you have simulated instrument time in IMC?

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

Ok, the question here is "does actual flight mean IMC conditions"?

Again...WHY would you have simulated instrument time in IMC? I'm not talking about logging hood time in VFR conditions. I'm talking about logging hood time in ACTUAL IMC conditions. Nobody (and I say that at my own risk because I know the next poster will say they put on a hood while in IMC and log simulated instrument time while in IMC), but nobody would log simulated instrument time while flying in IMC so the interpretation would then be "actual flight" means the time you are in an airplane flying.




eP.

Maybe I'm missing something here. Where are you getting the IMC requirement? My reading of 135.243 is that it doesn't require any actual instrument (or IMC) time. And no, actual aircraft time doesn't mean actual IMC time.

 

[ePilot22]

midlifeflyer has a better answer.





eP.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Why would you have simulated instrument time in IMC?

Remember that "IMC" really just means weather condition less than that required for VFR flight. So, you're in Class E airspace, flying 300' below an overcast with 100 NM visibility and clear below all the way to the ground. Technically IMC; obviously not logable instrument time.

Even if not that obvious, there are other times I've seen pilots fly with the hood even when the conditions would allow them to log some actual - usually because they feel that they get more practice that way. (Personally I think that flying in and out of clouds and having to constantly adjust your scan back and forth to look for traffic also is much better practice, but to each his own).

 

[Hadhafang]

Thanks for the posts. It seems like you all agree that the 50 hours is actual airplane flight and not actual IMC flight. It is just the way that the statement is worded that got me to wondering. I guess that is the "fun" part about the regs.