Picking up a plane

meyers9163 said:
ps..... This guy has invested a lot of money at this FBO
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If you mean invested money, as an owner, this would be perfectly legal, as it is his business. If you mean invested money, as in paid for flight training, it is illegal.

There are certain ways around it, all of which are unethical, so I won't mention them.
 
falconvalley said:
Doesn't that sound a little fishy to you? Comeon man, be realistic. How can flightschools offer a 10% block discount? There's a process to it...
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mojo6911 said:
If you mean invested money, as an owner, this would be perfectly legal, as it is his business. If you mean invested money, as in paid for flight training, it is illegal.

There are certain ways around it, all of which are unethical, so I won't mention them.
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I used it as and example, and actually I have gotten a 10% discount for having money on account. That is why I worded it that way, as I know the FBO could and do give block discounts.

While the NEW aircraft returned by a Comm Pilot (and getting compensated) makes it a legit flight. The FBO plane be repo'd with a PPL (not compenstated) is no legal (IMO). I know there have been repo flights due to huricanes, I think that is a special instance. I would have the PPL fly out and let the new plane leave and then call the FBO and say: "You know what I don't think I am legal to fly back, please send another CFI to get me and the plane!"
 
I asked a DPE today if free flight time was considered compensation.....he laughed at the idea.

I asked him if I bought an airplane in California and had a buddy who holds a PPL to pick it up for me(not paying him)....he said "sure, why the hell not? As long as you dont pay him. He does have a license to fly an airplane."

Maybe, he is wrong but he was an FAA inspector for 20 years...so I will go with his interpetation.
 
That's the nice thing about inspectors. You can just keep asking different ones the same question until you get the answer that you like.

:D
 
I'd believe that guy, he's a straight shooter and probably the best examiner I've ever met. This was the guy that would sit around the FBO and BS with the flight instructors about how to teach our students better. He was one of those guys that really cared about safety and education with flying, and had a lot of credibility what with the 20 years he spent as an FAA safety inspector. He's absolutely one of the good guys.

I take everything that guy says as the gospel truth.
 
meyers9163 said:
DING DING DING. And FISDO has stated, "nothing is written against what you have told me." Therefore what I was told today it is ok to fly out in a rental plane, and fly back the rental plane as long as the guy flying the "sales" plane that they just bought is commercial rated. Weird but just called FSDO myself and he said the whole "compensation" as being flight time isnt in the books and its a gray area that may be cleared up in the near future.

Secondly, I think a lot of things are "illegal" according to the FARs. I would even go as far as saying those who fly with their parents and their parents end up paying for the flight, that is illegal yet it happens all the time. Anyways got my answer from FSDO and thought I'd pass it along. But from the gentlemen I talked to said its ok and got his number and info if I am ever in doubt or my buddy is questioned.
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I guess if I read the posts a little better I wouldn't have to ask... :banghead:
 
If you're an AOPA member, just search aopa.org for "pilot compensation." Read through a few of the articles (which provide real cases where pilots are busted for doing many of the things mentioned in this thread), and you'll see that a lot of what most of us, at first glance, would consider legal is completely illegal. There is, in fact, very little gray area. Flight time, expectation of some benefit, flying someone/something where someone other than the pilot benefits/etc is all illegal and pilots have received violations for this. In reality, we know that everyone does it, and the FAA will tend to overlook it unless someone (probably a commercial pilot who sees he's losing business to some local Private Pilot) calls the FAA and squeals. The question is, "is the 2 hours free flight time I get really worth possibly losing my license for 6 months or so?"

I don't see much gray area on this, but as noted above many examiners and FSDO folks all seem to have a different view on some of the examples...Sucks that the rules are so limiting in many cases! Just be careful out there.
 
ryanmickG said:
Maybe, he is wrong but he was an FAA inspector for 20 years...so I will go with his interpetation.
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Must be talkin' about Boomhaur, eh?

Seems like a lot of posts on these "questionable" private pilot operations lately. Must not be enough commercial pilots out there..... (will somebody please tell me how to make a sarcasm tag?)
 
Just what we need. . . a bunch of babbling idiots / FAA Lawyers saying flight time is compensation. . .

great way to bring the industry even lower gents.
 
I seriously doubt you would get a violation for "flight time as compensation".

The FAA can not hand out violations like candy. Any aviation lawyer in the country would get that expunged from your record.
 
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