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It is not correct that a private pilot can be reimbursed for expenses. Pilots are permitted to share expenses for a common purpose. The long standing (~30 year
by cmurf 9y ago
It is not correct that a private pilot can be reimbursed for expenses. Pilots are permitted to share expenses for a common purpose.
The long standing (~30 years) rule is the pilot's share can't be less than their proportionally equal share, based on the total number of people in the aircraft. The pilot can't walk away from a private flight with a net $0 cost or it isn't really a private flight, the pilot is being compensated. And the passengers and the pilot need to be engaged in a common purpose activity, ergo it cannot just be about transporting people from A to B if the pilot has no need himself to go from point A to point B.
If the purpose of the flight is to test an app for the company, it is unquestionably a commercial flight and the pilots are employees for the app company. Depending on myriad other factors, the size of the aircraft and how many passengers are on board, a two pilot crew rule might apply and if so absolutely a student pilot does not qualify.
- phkahler 9y ago>> ergo it cannot just be about transporting people from A to B if the pilot has no need himself to go from point A to point B. Is that true even if there is no money involved? If your friend needs a ride from A to B and you were looking for an excuse to go flying that should be alright assuming you're not compensated for it. Or is that not right? Your parents are in another state and want to come visit, so you go pick them up via plane. That's certainly alright. I've never heard of it being an issue unless money was involved or a business trip.
- cmurf 9y agoPretty much it's about sharing expenses. But if I go by myself from A to B, neither expense sharing or common purpose applies. But then B to A is taking my mom/friend as well as myself back home. So that voyage is common purpose and if there are two people the cost of that direction can be split 50/50 (or I can pay a bigger share, I just can't pay less).