Logging of Level C or D Simulator Time

[skydiverdriver]

I have flown a lot of sims, both as a private pilot and now as part of my airline training. I don't log any of it. I know, when you are new, every hour seems like a big deal, and you want your logbook to be as full as possible. Flying a professional type sim is very good experience, but as you can see, it is also controversial to log it. When you finally get that real flying job, you will laugh at yourself for being so concerned about a few hours in a sim. Do what you want, but I say keep it out of your logbook and there will be no questions about it. Better to keep something out that might hurt you, than to put something in that MIGHT help you. It's just not worth it. Good luck to you.

 

[LegacyDriver]

"Pilot Time" is not "FLIGHT TIME" as defined by FAR1!

Do you really think an extra 10-20 hours of total time you logged in the sim is going to help you get hired, considering how screwed you would be if I was interviewing you and I saw you adding your sim time to your total time?

On the other hand; it is YOUR logbook if you think 1720 hours looks better than 1700 hours, do it.

I don't know about your situation, but I am in a bind with insurance requirements for a job I just failed to get because I am 24 hours short on Instrument Time. I need 300 and have 276. The question I'm wondering is this:

If I have 35 hours of Instrument time in a Level "D" Simulator can I log that as "Simulated Instrument" in my logbook? If so, then I have the 300 hours required of me.

What a pain.

 

[LegacyDriver]

Shameless bump. Anyone care to answer this one?

 

[100LL... Again!]

For insurance purposes I would take the most liberal interpretation. I'd say log it.

 

[CaSyndrm]

If the FAA certified the sim for C or D and allows type ratings and LOFTS then why not log it in any column you want that applies. The FAA has answered the question for you by the certification of the simm. As far as job interviews go I understand the first job is tough to get but don't have tunnel vision and remember you are a professional and if some book nerd Chief Pilot disqualifies you for logging what the Feds approved then is this really somebody you want to work for?

 

[LegacyDriver]

Good points. Here's what I read in the regs:


FAR 61.51 (b) Logbook Entries. For the purposes of meeting the requirements of paragrpah (a) of this section, each person must enter the following information for each flight or lesson logged:

...

(3) (iii) Simulated instrument conditions in flight, a flight simulator, or a flight training device.


I presume this counts for 121, 135, and 141 training, no? If it does then I have over 300 hours on instrument time and only applied with 276. I screwed myself.

 

[vclean]

How did it feel? I hope you took yourself out to dinner first.

Reapply with the updated times and a cover letter.

Good luck,

 

[AlphEcho]

I've learned a lot since I started this thread about two years ago. (Nice to see it's still generating discussion.) It has been made abundantly clear to me by many sources at a major airline that time in a level C or D sim can NOT be added to your total time, but only under sim time as far as they are concerned when looking at your application. However, if you have some experience in such an advanced sim with quality instruction, by all means include it in a seperate category and they'll take it for what it's worth. It's just not worth risking looking like you're trying to sneak something by them, (and that's how it would look if you're close to their minimum hourly requirements), because as we all know that's the surest way to get sh!!t-canned before you get two steps past the chick at the front desk.

 

[CaSyndrm]

Airlines that anal will ask for the time to be seperated on the application. They wil incude a very detailed flight time summary page and it will have specific instructions for entries. There will be a few catagories that will require some basic math to come up with the correct answere and quite frankly will roll your eyes back with the riduculousness of it all. I stand by my earlier statements, log it. The airline interviewers don't make the law just the rules for their respective interviews. Those rules will be made abundantly clear when you fill out there apps.