PICUS Time

PICUS — Pilot in Command Under Supervision — is a co-pilot performing the duties of a PIC on a multi-pilot flight, under the supervision of a qualified PIC. It is an EASA concept, used mainly to build the PIC experience needed for an ATPL and a command upgrade.

How Wader handles it

Select PICUS as the function on the flight form. Wader then:

• counts that flight time towards your PIC total
• keeps the PICUS label on the entry so the source of the time stays visible

This follows the regulation rather than being an app preference — under EASA, PICUS is PIC time.

Caution

PICUS time must be countersigned by the supervising PIC to be valid. Without that endorsement it cannot be credited as PIC.

The regulatory basis

AMC1 FCL.050 lists PICUS among the pilot functions to be recorded, alongside PIC, SPIC, co-pilot, dual, FI and FE. It may be logged by a co-pilot acting as PICUS on an aircraft requiring more than one pilot — by type certification or by operational requirement — provided the time is countersigned by the PIC.

For ATPL(A) issue, PICUS counts towards the PIC experience: an applicant needs 1 500 hours total, including 500 hours as PICUS, or 250 hours as PIC, or 250 hours of which at least 70 as PIC and the remainder as PICUS.

If you need to track PICUS separately

Some operators track PICUS apart from full command time. Wader has no “PICUS as SIC” option, so if you need this:

1. Log the flight with the SIC function.
2. In Remarks, note PICUS – supervised by [Captain name].

Caution

Only do this for internal tracking. If you intend to use the time towards an EASA licence or rating, log it as PICUS as the regulation requires.

FAA pilots

PICUS does not exist under FAA rules. 14 CFR § 61.51(e) separates acting as PIC from logging PIC time, and a co-pilot on a multi-crew aircraft logs SIC — or PIC if they are the sole manipulator of the controls and rated for the aircraft.

	EASA	FAA
PICUS as a function	Defined in Part-FCL	Does not exist
Co-pilot in multi-crew	PICUS, counted as PIC	SIC
Countersignature	Required for PICUS and SPIC	Not required
Two pilots logging PIC	Yes (PIC + PICUS)	Possible (sole manipulator + acting PIC)

Quick reference

Situation	Log as	Counts as PIC?
EASA co-pilot performing PIC duties under supervision	PICUS	Yes
Same, but tracked separately for your operator	SIC + remark	No
FAA multi-crew, required crewmember	SIC	No
FAA sole manipulator, rated for the aircraft	PIC	Yes

References

• EASA Easy Access Rules for Flight Crew Licencing (Part-FCL) — AMC1 FCL.050, FCL.510.A
• 14 CFR § 61.51 — Pilot logbooks