Charging for LSA Instruction

[Murdoughnut]

An ad for this place popped up on my FB feed and got me curious:

Experience Iconic Air & Sea Adventure in Sevierville, TN

Take off, soar through the skies, and land on the water with in an unforgettable amphibious introductory flight lessons at Iconic Air & Sea Adventure in Sevierville, TN.

www.iconicrides.com

It's clearly an aerial sightseeing company that's promoting the flights as flight instruction. This seem kosher as it relates to FAA rules on LSAs? I knew they couldn't be used for commercial purposes, but is this type of "flight instruction" legal?

I assume it is, but figured it'd be a good discussion. I have a lake near me, and wouldn't mind picking up one and offering this type of "instruction."

 

[ahw01]

View: https://youtu.be/bsQcfzNWJWc

 

[CFI A&P]

An ad for this place popped up on my FB feed and got me curious:

Experience Iconic Air & Sea Adventure in Sevierville, TN

Take off, soar through the skies, and land on the water with in an unforgettable amphibious introductory flight lessons at Iconic Air & Sea Adventure in Sevierville, TN.

www.iconicrides.com

It's clearly an aerial sightseeing company that's promoting the flights as flight instruction. This seem kosher as it relates to FAA rules on LSAs? I knew they couldn't be used for commercial purposes, but is this type of "flight instruction" legal?

I assume it is, but figured it'd be a good discussion. I have a lake near me, and wouldn't mind picking up one and offering this type of "instruction."

Isn’t the catch with sightseeing is that it has to be the same point of departure and landing? Plus within 25nm of that operating base? Kind of hard to conduct instructional flights without going cross country, sure it could be done but would be tough

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

If it’s actually flight instruction, no problem with using an LSA. Specifically permitted by 91.327. It’s billed as a Discovery Flight and further instruction is offered for the certificate and rating. On its face, no problem at all. Plenty of Discovery Flights are marked like this.

The problem is what might be found if the FAA gets suspicious and goes deeper. Illegal charter is a current enforcement priority. The main target is sham dry leasing, but things like sham instruction are in their sights too. But looking at the ad, nothing jumps out at me as an obvious problem.