Mooney time for Insurance

[flyer173]

Does anyone know if being a safety pilot in the right seat can be considered towards "Mooney time, in make and model".

[gregwatts]

That would be a question for your insurance agency. Most likely, if you were PIC.....yes........if not..........no.........but each insurance company has their own underwriting guidelines.

[jetdriven]

You can, under certain circumstances, log PIC when the other pilot is under the hood. Be damn sure to get a few landings and know how to fly the plane as well.

[danb35]

As Byron notes, under the right circumstances (namely, you are legally qualified to be PIC--certificates, endorsements, ratings as appropriate, etc.--and you and the pilot flying agree that you are actually PIC), you can log safety pilot as PIC time, which should qualify for any insurance purposes (it is, after all, PIC time in that make and model).  As a practical matter, though, it does not give you any experience in handling the airplane, which is presumably the reason that the insurance companies want to know, or require, time in type.

[DonMuncy]

Also remember, if you agree that you are PIC, you may be violating the terms of the owner's insurance policy. If something should go wrong, it may not be a covered accident.

[Hank]

As Byron notes, under the right circumstances (namely, you are legally qualified to be PIC--certificates, endorsements, ratings as appropriate, etc.--and you and the pilot flying agree that you are actually PIC), you can log safety pilot as PIC time, which should qualify for any insurance purposes (it is, after all, PIC time in that make and model).  As a practical matter, though, it does not give you any experience in handling the airplane, which is presumably the reason that the insurance companies want to know, or require, time in type.

 

According to the DPE around here, all it takes to be safety pilot [i asked during Instrument training] is Category & Class [Aircraft, Single-Engine Land for our Mooneys]. I specifically asked about the complex endorsement, time in type, etc., as there are precious few available here. I was emphatically told, with references that I no longer remember, any pilot with ASEL could be my safety pilot in my Mooney with me under the foggles.

 

Would that time count towards insurance, etc., for the guy in the right seat? Ask the insurance company. If that was my only Mooney time, no thank you, I would not want to take off and fly around solo!

[danb35]

According to the DPE around here, all it takes to be safety pilot [i asked during Instrument training] is Category & Class [Aircraft, Single-Engine Land for our Mooneys].

The DPE was correct, as long as the safety pilot also has a current medical.  However, if you don't have the appropriate endorsements and other legal qualifications to act as pilot in command, you aren't legally able to be PIC, and therefore as the safety pilot you can't log PIC time.