Which One of Us Is the Pilot in Command?

There’s an art to learning to fly with another aviator.

Meg Godlewski

Thursday, September 25, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The first time you exercise your pilot in command (PIC) privileges flying with a pilot who is not your flight instructor or a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) it can be an eye-opener. [Courtesy: Meg Godlewski]

Key Takeaways:

Flying with another pilot necessitates clear pre-flight planning, defining the mission, and verbalizing roles and responsibilities, including who is PIC and emergency procedures.
Both pilots share responsibility for safety, with the non-flying pilot (pilot monitoring) having a critical role in speaking up and challenging unsafe decisions or deviations to prevent accidents and normalize a strong safety culture.
Thorough pre-flight homework, such as checking NOTAMs, weather, and frequencies, is essential, and non-pilot companions can be trained to assist with cockpit duties and emergency situations, thereby enhancing overall flight safety.

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Two general aviation pilots get into an airplane… It sounds like the opening to a joke, but it’s not—and you shouldn’t treat it like one. Sharing time in an aircraft with another pilot is much more complicated than jumping in the car for a short hop.