What is the FAA's definition of a passenger?

[Adler]

I'm certified by the FAA to drive both single and mutliengine crafts, however I have not flown a multi since my initial commercial months ago...needless to say I have not met the recency requirements for carrying passengers.

I have an opportunity to fly with a friend in his multi, and I'm curious if there are any loopholes, or funky wording that would allow me to log this flight. The friend does not have any instructor ratings, so duel is out of the question.

I guess my question lies with, what is the FAA's definition of a passenger?

 

[tgrayson]

I guess my question lies with, what is the FAA's definition of a passenger?

You're kinda coming at this backwards. Instead, refer to the FAA regulations regarding pilot logbooks. The only sort of time that's of much use to you is PIC time, which you can log when you're the sole manipulator of an aircraft in which you are rated. If your friend allows you to fly, then you can log that time as PIC. Doesn't matter whether you're takeoff and landing current, since you don't need to actually act or BE pilot-in-command in order to log it as such.

If you're just going to sit there and look out the window, then there is no useful way to log that time (unless you're acting as a safety pilot).

 

[Adler]

It is my understanding that for a portion of the flight I would be PIC. I guess I don't fully understand your rationale, 61.57 says, "airman may not act as a pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers unless..."

 

[tgrayson]

It is my understanding that for a portion of the flight I would be PIC. I guess I don't fully understand your rationale, 61.57 says, "airman may not act as a pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers unless..."

ACTING as PIC is not the same thing as LOGGING PIC. Although it's difficult to grasp the distinction looking at the regulations themselves, there are a large numbers of FAA Legal Interpretations going back decades that highlights the distinction.

There are zillions of threads on this board discussing the issue, so I recommend that you do some searching on it.

In summary, logging PIC is governed solely by 61.51(e) and no regulation that limits your ability to ACT as PIC has any effect on that. You have no need to ACT as PIC on the flight with your friend in order to log it as PIC.

Here's my essay on it:

Logging PIC

 

[Ralgha]

tgrayson is right. If you are looking for a job with an airline though, they won't count that time as PIC. On the other hand, they would never know unless you told them...

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

The short answer is that you can log the time as the PIC where you are manipulating the controls.

 

[Adler]

tgrayson, your essay is great! Thanks.