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How do you log UAV time?

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ILLINI

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 26, 2001
Posts
495
I saw a show on The Discovery Channel or TLC a few days ago about the use of UAVs (Unmanned Air Vehicles) in the military. The pilot on the ground is required to be an FAA commercially licensed pilot becuause he is operating the unmanned aircraft within the US airspace. I was just curious how they would log this time in their logbooks. Would it be "sim" time or would they log it as if they were actually in the aircraft? Anyone know?
 
ILLINI said:
The pilot on the ground is required to be an FAA commercially licensed pilot becuause he is operating the unmanned aircraft within the US airspace.

is that what they said on the show? in 96 i was in fort huachuca in az for some tng and we took a tour of the facility that the army uses to train their uav pilots. they were all raw recruits, e-nothings, and no doubt NOT commercial pilots. to my knowledge, nothing has changed as i never saw the army looking for pilots to fly uavs. as far as i know, the army is the only branch that doesn't use military-trained aviators to fly uavs. anyone know any different?
 
Yes, that is what I heard on the show. They said that they needed to be FAA licensed pilots because they were operating the UAVs in the same airspace as other commercial airliners. I can't remember what military branch was using the UAVs during the program. The pilot on the ground was wearing DCs and it sounded like he was talking to a controller of some sort, though I can't be sure. I suppose it is possible that inaccurate information was given, but both The DC and TLC are good about putting out good information.
 
I fly a remote control model of a 747-100 in US Airspace and log it as PIC. I talk to ATC on my handheld, and even get clearances. I had a guy at a convenience store fill out the paperwork for the type rating, so it would all be legal.

Just kidding, but if they are logging it where and how do you draw the line? I believe that if your butt is not in the seat at the time the A/C leaves the ground, you are not a pilot flying a plane.
 

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