A safety pilot is a certified pilot who watches for air traffic while the other pilot flies simulated practice maneuvers. They must hold a private pilot’s license and have a clear view of the area in front and to the sides of the aircraft. The safety pilot guides the pilot through maneuvers and must be reliable and knowledgeable. Aspiring safety pilots must have a current license and flight experience. “Under the hood” training is an option, and many pilots choose to fly with a safety pilot to complete it.
A safety pilot is a certified pilot who watches for air traffic while the other pilot of the aircraft flies simulated practice maneuvers. Typically, he or she sits in the right-hand seat and scans the skies for other aircraft while the pilot in the left-hand seat, with a special view-restricting mechanism, performs various flight maneuvers. Safety pilots play a critical role in aviation and flight training.
Most jurisdictions outline several strict requirements for safety pilots. They must hold a minimum of a private pilot’s license with the appropriate credentials to command the aircraft they currently fly. When in their seats, safety pilots must have a clear view of the area in front of the aircraft, as well as the area to the sides of the aircraft. If a safety pilot cannot clearly see one of these areas, a spotter may be employed to improve the safety pilot’s vision. Most of the planes that safety pilots fly in are required to have adequate controls on their sides of the plane; on smaller aircraft these rules may be less restrictive if the safety pilot deems the aircraft safe to fly.
The safety pilot has extremely important responsibilities during airplane maneuvers. He or she must guide the pilot through the maneuvers simply by referring to the appropriate instruments for the pilot to use. The safety pilot is a reliable and knowledgeable person, cool under pressure, who ensures the safe flight and maneuvering of the aircraft.
When an individual chooses to become a safety pilot, they must meet some specific safety pilot requirements. First of all, the aspiring safety pilot must have a current license to fly an aircraft. He or she usually has experience flying at least one type of aircraft, usually a private jet. The safety pilot can work with a certified flight instructor and accumulate flight hours, known as “log time,” to add more flight experience to her flight record.
Many pilots choose to undergo “under the hood” training, which means they opt for instrument flight training in which their visibility is restricted. Flying with a certified flight instructor is an option. However, most “under the hood” pilots choose to fly with a safety pilot to complete this type of training, as it is much cheaper than hiring a personal flight instructor.
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