Who Can Act as Your Safety Pilot?

FAA regulations state an aviator in training can’t log time as a required crewmember for IFR practice.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A student pilot cannot legally act as a safety pilot for required instrument flight rules (IFR) practice because federal regulations prohibit them from serving as a required flight crew member. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

A student pilot cannot legally act as a safety pilot for simulated instrument flight practice.
Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 61.89 prohibits student pilots from acting as pilot in command with a passenger or as a required flight crewmember when more than one pilot is necessary.
Since a safety pilot is a required crewmember for simulated instrument flight, they must hold at least a private pilot certificate.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Question: I am a private pilot working on my instrument rating, and I have been looking for someone to act as my safety pilot during practice IFR approaches in VFR conditions. I have a buddy who is a student pilot just about to take his check ride. Since he’s done his solo flight, can he act as a safety pilot as long as we stay in VFR conditions?

READ MORE: When a Student Pilot Accidentally Clips the Bravo

Answer: The short answer is no. Per cFAR 61.89, General limitations: “(a) A student pilot may not act as pilot in command of an aircraft: (1) That is carrying a passenger and (b) A student pilot may not act as a required pilot flight crewmember on any aircraft for which more than one pilot is required by the type certificate of the aircraft or regulations under which the flight is conducted…”