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:

Sharing a cockpit with another pilot requires clear communication, defined roles, and a comprehensive pre-flight mission briefing to establish expectations and procedures.
Both pilots must conduct thorough pre-flight planning, including reviewing routes, NOTAMs, frequencies, and explicitly discussing emergency responses.
It is critical for all pilots to overcome ego and actively speak up about any safety concerns or questionable decisions to prevent accidents and normalize a strong safety culture.

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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.