squeezemylemon
Well-Known Member
can I count my class D simulator time in my total time, I think it 's possible under the FAA.
True Story:
I was flying with a pretty new FO into DCA and they were doing the River Visual. It was his leg and I asked him if he'd flown the approach before and was he comfortable with it. He said he'd done it a bunch and "not to worry". So down the river we go. Somewhere about over the Chain Bridge I start to have some suspicion that he has no idea what he is supposed to be doing. Abeam the apartments at Rossyln it becomes apparent that he's completely lost. I coach him through the rest of the approach (turn, turn more... ok stop... a little high... ok, ok... do you see the runway right there? no? ok... a little low now.... turn... still don't see the runway? it's 1/2 a mile right in front of you).
Anyhow, after we landed I asked him why he'd told me he'd shot the approach before when it was readily apparent that he hadn't and he told me that he'd flown it a bunch in a FRASCA at a flight school while instructing and figured it would be about the same.
I also had an FO tell me he'd shot the approach before and after completely balling it up so much so that I had to take the airplane from him I discovered by "shooting the approach" he meant he'd been sitting in seat 7A while the approach was being flown once. But that's another story.
True Story:
Anyhow, after we landed I asked him why he'd told me he'd shot the approach before when it was readily apparent that he hadn't and he told me that he'd flown it a bunch in a FRASCA at a flight school while instructing and figured it would be about the same.
True Story:
I also had an FO tell me he'd shot the approach before and after completely balling it up so much so that I had to take the airplane from him I discovered by "shooting the approach" he meant he'd been sitting in seat 7A while the approach was being flown once. But that's another story.
No, it does not count as total time. It counts for landings and instrument approaches, as well as toward meeting total experience requirements for an ATP (up to 100 hours). However, it does not go in your logbook as flight time in a real aircraft.