Logging of Level C or D Simulator Time

[AlphEcho]

I have recently been able to get some time in a level C 747-200 simulator. The instructor has a type rating in the aircraft, an ATP, and a CFI but no MEI. I assumed that I would be able to log it as plain old simulator time, and was going to do that just for fun, to have something interesting in the book. However, some other instructors at this place said that I can log it not just as total time but also as multi-engine, provided that the instructor is qualified (and they say this instructor is.) I am pretty wary about doing this, but this advice comes from pretty reliable sources. The sim is approved by the FAA for use in a 142/121 training curriculum, through which people receive their type ratings. Does anyone have any experience with this kind of issue? I'm not paying for the time and I've learned a ton in the few hours I've flown it and I would be satisfied with not logging anything at all. But, if I can legitimately add to my multi or total time I am inclined to do it. Any advice?

 

[fly26]

Regardless of whether the Instructor has an MEI, I personally would log it only as SIM time and NOT total time or MULTI time.

Further along on your career path a few hours won't matter much and could spark questions and raise eyebrows from interviewers if the time is included in your numbers. You don't want to raise any red flags when you get to that stage.

Remember, what's legal flight-time per the FAR's does not always jive with what the airlines want on their applications.

Good Luck. I wish I could have flown a 747 when I had 300 hours.

 

[flx757]

I would advise logging any simulator time, no matter what level or what the circumstances, as simulator time ONLY. It is not flight time, therefore you should not log it as total time, or multi time...or any time, except simulator time.

 

[501261]

Think about it, of course the instuctors are telling you, you can log it, because they are all logging it. I'm sure under some FAR's you can log Flight Time in a Level C or D sim (just like 3 people can log PIC in a Seminole), but for your sake I would only log it a Sim only!

What would you do if you where a Chief Pilot and you brought some guy in who claimed to have 2000 hours of GV time only to find out 1950 of it was in a sim! D$mn right you show him the door in a very rude way.

Bottomline is that its legal, but trying claiming sim time as "Flighttime" is only going to get you screwed in the long run.

 

[AlphEcho]

I appreciate your advice so far guys, and it confirms what I had suspected. I'll just throw it in the book as sim time and leave it at that. It's been a great enough learning experience going through the ground school and sitting in the sim that it would be too good to be true if I could add to my total time as well! Now back into some actual aircraft!...(even if they're not 747's.) Thanks again.

 

[JetPilot500]

This is not something to concern yourself with. People blow this subject way out of proportion.

As far as the FAA is concerned, once you have your ATP the only thing they care about is showing currency. Instrument time counts for currency in any approved FTD or Simulator. Landings count for currency in a Level C or D simulator. So for currency purposes, you can log it. The FAA could care less if you put time in the "Total Flight Time" column.

As far as airlines or chief pilots are concerned, the small percentage of time that you will most likely log in a Sim won't make much of a difference. I do know that Southwest Airlines specifically doesn't permit sim time to count, so for them, just subtract it out.

In conclusion, do whatcha like! I log it as flight time, but at this point of my career, no one cares.

Jetpilot500

 

[slapstick]

currency, yes. total FLIGHT hours? NO!

 

[Speedtree]

unless i forget my written, an atp can only give instruction under a commercial 121 program or some other such wording. since you are not part of the airline's program i'm not sure he is a legal flight instructor for you.

i would only log it as sim time, not flight time for the self-evident definitions of each. it makes things much easier if you keep them separate.

 

[Limeyflyer]

My question to you is can it be Multi PIC even though it is not Flight Time????

 

[dogg]

I think what you want to do is decide if some day you are going to be interviewed for a flying job.

If the answer is no then log what you like where you like etc.. as long as it meets the FAA's interpretation for time.

If the answer is yes then you want to look at your log book in a different way. Put all sim time in a separate column and note what the simulator was and if you were being instructed. Have the instructor sign these entries but do not include them in type of total flying or multi or instrument column. What the FAA says is legal and how hiring depts view time are completely different.

Your total time should show dual(any time you are being instructed, regardless of ratings), PIC (any time that you are responsible for the airplane) and SIC (any time you are flying under a program that requires an sic because of type or because of the operation being conducted) and that is it.
However it is a good idea to log all flight time that may not fall under these categories. Just dont add it in to your totals and make notes in the comments section about the flight.