Flight School Hold Harmless Agreement

H

Hubbs

Well-Known Member
A buddy of mine recently asked me if I'd ever heard of flight schools that required both the new instructor and his/her spouse to sign a hold harmless/release.

I didn't know, so I figured I'd come to the font of all knowledge.
 
I've never heard of it and I'd never sign it. That doesn't give me the warm fuzzy feeling I'd require.

-mini
 
We require it of any passenger that isn't a current student or active employee.
 
I think its an ok thing. I would understand these days with a school wanting someone to sign them. I mean, people sue over anything.. my gas wasnt blue enough.. sue... my coffee was hot... sue...

Its ridiculous.


If I ran a school I would have every passenger sign one.
 
ATP requires them from students. It releases ATP from anything that happens by the school/flight instructor and anyone else associated with them. Didn't feel great signing that...
 
Maybe some people with more legal knowledge than me can chime in, but there are limits to Hold Harmless agreements I believe.

I seem to remember my wife talking about this before, but for instance, say I run a flight school and have you, a CFI, sign such an agreement. So you fly my planes and notice several safety issues, which you report back to me. I tell you "I'll take care of them", but I really don't. A few months later, a prop goes flying off and severs your arm (I'm using my imagination here). I think I'm safe because of the agreement. Court doesn't see it that way, as I cannot sign away responsibility for gross negligence.

I think they're more applicable when, say you're playing paintball and you take off your mask to wipe your forehead, and get shot in the eye. If it's within the assumption of risk, I think that's when it's binding.
 
Thank you. That was certainly my understanding.

The thing we found strange was that they wanted his spouse to sign the form as well.
 
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