This gets a bit confusing because of the differences between FAA training and military training. The military doesn't base their training off FAR's, so it's kind of hard to interpret. There are alot of conflicts and loopholes when you try to apply military training to FAR's, but here's the way I interpret it, which may or may not necessarily be correct.
I'm not quite sure why someone in the military would need 10 hours as PIC in aircraft type to get a type rating on their commercial certificate. I mean, anyone with a commercial certificate can go to SimuFlite, get 30 or 40 hours in a sim and get a type rating. Do they have 10 hours of PIC in type? No. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I didn't think you could log PIC in an aircraft requiring a type rating UNLESS you had a type rating, so how the heck could the FSDO require 10 hours of PIC to give you a type rating? I'm abit confused about that.
The FAA says:
§ 61.31 Type rating requirements, additional training, and authorization requirements.
(a)
Type ratings required. A person who acts as a pilot in command of any of the following aircraft must hold a type rating for that aircraft:
(1) Large aircraft (except lighter-than-air).
(2) Turbojet-powered airplanes.
(3) Other aircraft specified by the Administrator through aircraft type certificate procedures.
Now, the Air Force does not have PIC or SIC time. We have Primary, Secondary and Other time. Primary time is the time at the controls, whether you're in the left or right seats. Secondary is basically pilot not flying time, again, in either seat. Finally, other time is basically jumpseat time. All of this time adds up to total time. Of course we can assume the Aircraft Commander ("A" code) is the PIC and the Copilot is the SIC. Both however, can log primary, secondary and other time.
The FAA also says:
§ 61.73 Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules.
(a)
General. Except for a rated military pilot or former rated military pilot who has been removed from flying status for lack of proficiency, or because of disciplinary action involving aircraft operations, a rated military pilot or former rated military pilot who meets the applicable requirements of this section may apply, on the basis of his or her military training, for:
(1) A commercial pilot certificate;
(2) An aircraft rating in the category and class of aircraft for which that military pilot is qualified;
(3) An instrument rating with the appropriate aircraft rating for which that military pilot is qualified; or
(4) A type rating, if appropriate.
(b)
Military pilots on active flying status within the past 12 months. A rated military pilot or former rated military pilot who has been on active flying status within the 12 months before applying must:
(1) Pass a knowledge test on the appropriate parts of this chapter that apply to pilot privileges and limitations, air traffic and general operating rules, and accident reporting rules;
(2) Present documentation showing compliance with the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section for at least one aircraft category rating; and
(3) Present documentation showing that the applicant is or was, at any time during the 12 calendar months before the month of application—
And...
(d)
Aircraft category, class, and type ratings. A rated military pilot or former rated military pilot who applies for an aircraft category, class, or type rating, if applicable, is issued that rating at the commercial pilot certificate level if the pilot presents documentary evidence that shows satisfactory accomplishment of:
(1) An official U.S. military pilot check and instrument proficiency check in that aircraft category, class, or type, if applicable, as pilot in command during the 12 calendar months before the month of application;
(2) At least 10 hours of pilot-in-command time in that aircraft category, class, or type, if applicable, during the 12 calendar months before the month of application; or
(3) An FAA practical test in that aircraft after—
(i) Meeting the requirements of paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section; and
(ii) Having received an endorsement from an authorized instructor who certifies that the pilot is proficient to take the required practical test, and that endorsement is made within the 60-day period preceding the date of the practical test.
(e)
Instrument rating. A rated military pilot or former rated military pilot who applies for an airplane instrument rating, a helicopter instrument rating, or a powered-lift instrument rating to be added to his or her commercial pilot certificate may apply for an instrument rating if the pilot has, within the 12 calendar months preceding the month of application:
(1) Passed an instrument proficiency check by a U.S. Armed Force in the aircraft category for the instrument rating sought; and
(2) Received authorization from a U.S. Armed Force to conduct IFR flights on Federal airways in that aircraft category and class for the instrument rating sought.
(f)
Aircraft type rating. An aircraft type rating is issued only for aircraft types that the Administrator has certificated for civil operations.
(g)
Aircraft type rating placed on an airline transport pilot certificate. A rated military pilot or former rated military pilot who holds an airline transport pilot certificate and who requests an aircraft type rating to be placed on that person's airline transport pilot certificate may be issued that aircraft type rating at the airline transport pilot certificate level, provided that person:
(1) Holds a category and class rating for that type of aircraft at the airline transport pilot certificate level; and
(2) Passed an official U.S. military pilot check and instrument proficiency check in that type of aircraft as pilot in command during the 12 calendar months before the month of application.
61.73 then goes on to list the evidentiary military documents that can be used.
Now, nowhere does it say a military pilot needs 10 hours of PIC to add a type rating to an existing commercial certificate of the same category and class. It says in order to get an Airplane Multi-Engine Land; Instrument Airplane at the commercial certificate level, you need 10 hours of PIC, which to me, doesn't make much sense. Again, my opinion is coming from both sides of the fence, but having gone through both civilian flight training up to my CFII and military Phase I, II, III and weapon system training, I sure as heck think a military aviator, at that point, deserves a commercial, ME, IFR ticket after all he or she has gone through, given he/she passes the appropriate knowledge test.
I also got the T-1A (Beech 400A/Mitsu 300) type rating on my commercial certificate. Now I already had my commercial ticket, so I just gave my $100 to the examiner and got my type rating. For those not familiar with the T-1A program, we got about 120 hours, mostly in the left seat. Not TECHNICALLY pilot-in-command because we were with an IP and had not graduated yet, but we were simulating acting as PIC. Now, I don't know of any civilian type rating curriculums (Flight Safety, SimuFlite, etc...) that give you 6-7 months of training, with roughly 75 hours in simulators and 120 hours in the REAL jet. Could you imagine how much that'd cost? If you can get typed in 20 days after a week of ground school and 40 hours in a sim, I sure as heck think I deserve a type rating after going through the Air Force's program, don't you? Whether I fell through a loophole or worked the system, it don't think I short changed the FAA one bit. At the same time, just about my whole T-1A class got their commercial - Airplane ME Land, instrument airplane certificates through the same examiner without 10 hours of PIC. For the most part, none of us have flown the Beech since. This examiner was an aquaintance of one of the civilian instructors we had for ground/sim training and was making a killing off UPT grads getting their equivelancy ratings. All they had to do was take the knowledge test. There was no requirement for 10 hours of PIC. We took 3 checkrides in the T-1, all from the left seat "acting" as a PIC.
The Air Force also had the "Team" program in T-1's where they let 2, freshly graduated students with their wings, take a T-1 cross country with no IP on board. Now, how does that work? Who's the PIC (aircraft commander??) See what I mean. The military does some wacky things and you can't use the FAR's to make any sense out of it.
I'm flying KC-135's right now and I actually know quite a few copilots with no "PIC" time who've gotten B707 type ratings through the local FSDO by showing them their most current Form 8.
