PIC on a flight plan

[Captain4242]

I'm hoping people will give me their thoughts on this...
Suppose the 135 company I fly for dispatches me for a trip for the next day. I file my flight plans, with my name as the PIC. Then (because we're 135) things change; I'll fly tonight, and another Captain will fly my trip tomorrow. Is it a good idea for me to cancel the flight plans I've already submitted? Should I be a nice guy and save the new Captain the job of filing? Then suppose he does something stupid and the FAA wants to know who flew the plane? Would the FAA believe me if I said "I let him use my flight plans but I wasn't there".
Thoughts and ideas.
Thanks.

 

[248to2.8]

All you should have to do is call up FSS and amend the FP with the new PIC's name.

 

[avbug]

Unless you plan to brief the other pilot and review the flight with him, why have him use your flight plan and flight planning? Suppose he wants different routing for weather, NOTAMs, or different altitudes, etc? Let him file and go.

 

[belchfire]

I'd call and get FSS to dump your original flight plan. Now if you run scheduled 135 the question is why don't you have canned flight plans on file?

 

[ruhroa]

I would think it is illegal. If your name is on the paperwork you are the "pilot in command" of the aircraft. If another pilot actually flies the trip and the paperwork is not changed then i guess technically there is not a legal flight plan on file. i would even go furthur to say your company would open themselves up to the almighty "command and control" bag of worms....................................

 

[taters]

I would think it is illegal. If your name is on the paperwork you are the "pilot in command" of the aircraft. If another pilot actually flies the trip and the paperwork is not changed then i guess technically there is not a legal flight plan on file. i would even go furthur to say your company would open themselves up to the almighty "command and control" bag of worms....................................

Ya I agree, the Feds would be up your ass and your company's ass on a dime. They love nothing more than to nitpick at this kind of stuff as it is ego food for them.

 

[bizjet800]

I would think if your name was on the flight plan and you didn't do the trip, then the FAA wouldn't much care that you "clicked" your name on fltplan.com. I can't imagine that if something happened, the feds would prosecute you for having your name on there, even though you didn’t do the trip.

 

[Seadogrun]

I would think if your name was on the flight plan and you didn't do the trip, then the FAA wouldn't much care that you "clicked" your name on fltplan.com. I can't imagine that if something happened, the feds would prosecute you for having your name on there, even though you didn’t do the trip.

Yes, but I don't think the FAA would mind going after the Captain that's flying the plan without his name on it. What happens if theres a devaition of clearance?

 

[stupidpilot]

What matters is who has operational control to dispatch the flight. Whoever in your company that dispatched the flight named the PIC. That is the only thing that matters. Who's name that was on the flight plan has been filed is irrelevant.

 

[Seadogrun]

What matters is who has operational control to dispatch the flight. Whoever in your company that dispatched the flight named the PIC. That is the only thing that matters. Who's name that was on the flight plan has been filed is irrelevant.

Although not everyone has a dispatch.

 

[ksu_aviator]

IMO, the flight plan is a legal record of the flight. If the flight plan is intentionally innacurate, I doubt the FAA is going to be very nice about it.

So here is the real question, should you be lazy and not change the flight plan risking legal actions with career ramifications or change the flight plan to be accurate?

 

[GIVDrvr]

It is the responsibilty of the dispatched Captain to comply with the regs. If he chooses to accept an ATC clearance that is associated with a flight plan he did did not file then it's his arse if any deviations occur. The FAA could certainly have a field day with this...

 

[Seadogrun]

Right, but with the captain flying not the captain that didn't cancel the plan.

 

[stupidpilot]

Right, but with the captain flying not the captain that didn't cancel the plan.

No. Whoever was listed as PIC of the flight is responsible. Not who has the controls.

 

[stupidpilot]

Although not everyone has a dispatch.

It doesn't matter. There are certain personnel listed in your OPSPECS who have the authority to dispatch a flight. Whoever they designate as PIC is the one responsible for the conduct of the flight.

 

[m31639]

The FAA will call the listed PIC on the flight plan if there is a problem. International trips get really interesting if the PIC is in the crew rest area. Been there,done that..........

 

[Seadogrun]

No. Whoever was listed as PIC of the flight is responsible. Not who has the controls.

So to be safe from a violation, when I file a flight plan I should just file a different PIC and I can't be violated?

Your comment sounds like it lacks logic(which wouldn't be a stretch for the FAA).

 

[stupidpilot]

So to be safe from a violation, when I file a flight plan I should just file a different PIC and I can't be violated?

Your comment sounds like it lacks logic(which wouldn't be a stretch for the FAA).

The PIC of the flight is whoever the company you work for says it is. What is filed on the flight plan makes no difference. Why is this such a difficult concept?

The PIC is responsible for the safe operation of the entire flight, regardless of who is operating the controls. He has the authority to take the controls at any time if he feels an unsafe situation exists or if the other person is about to commit a violation. The FAA has been known to go after everyone in the cockpit.

 

[Seadogrun]

The PIC of the flight is whoever the company you work for says it is. What is filed on the flight plan makes no difference. Why is this such a difficult concept?

The PIC is responsible for the safe operation of the entire flight, regardless of who is operating the controls. He has the authority to take the controls at any time if he feels an unsafe situation exists or if the other person is about to commit a violation. The FAA has been known to go after everyone in the cockpit.

I may have mis-read your previous comment. When you said "listed" I assumed that you meant on the flight plan. My mistake.

 

[stupidpilot]

No prob. Fly safe brother.