Scenic tours on a 135 certificate?

Fly_Unity

Well-Known Member
Hey guys, I'm getting mixed information about this issue.

Can you do Scenic flights within 25 miles with a 135 certificate? How about beyond 25 miles? Or do you need an additional LOA from the FSDO authorizing scenic tours via FAR 91.147? Is it considered a 135 flight if its not a point to point flight?

Thanks
 
Hey guys, I'm getting mixed information about this issue.

Can you do Scenic flights within 25 miles with a 135 certificate? How about beyond 25 miles? Or do you need an additional LOA from the FSDO authorizing scenic tours via FAR 91.147? Is it considered a 135 flight if its not a point to point flight?

Thanks

If you have a 135 cert people can charter you to go anywhere allowed by your opspecs, which is pretty much anywhere (unless you're prohibited from operating internationally for whatever reason) so yeah. And no, you don't need an LOA. If you want to conduct tours in National Parks you might have to get an authorization for it, especially if its on the island of hawaii. Part 137 is the new one i think.
 
We do tours within 25nm with a part 119 operation, but we can't go beyond that range.

yea I was just wondering... I heard of a 135 company getting busted for doing a scenic flight within 25 miles. the FSDO said they needed a LOA to do that, and a separate drug screening program etc
 
Laws are funny...because you can do a few more drugs if you are flying single pilot IFR freight on the back side of the clock, but if you are going to show people around the Grand Canyon in broad daylight, well by gosh you better be squeaky clean!

Huh?
 
actually I am not sure myself, seemed like it made sense when I wrote that yesterday....I think it needs a deleting....
 
Glen, are you retarded? That was offensive to all 135 pilots who DO NOT USE DRUGS. Thank you for deleting it. Were you on drugs when you originally posted that???
 
Glen, are you retarded? That was offensive to all 135 pilots who DO NOT USE DRUGS. Thank you for deleting it. Were you on drugs when you originally posted that???
Don't be too hard. My WAG is that it was a response to the idea that you'd need an LOA and a separate drug-testing program for the tours when one is already in place for the 135 op - a slam at the FAA, not Part 135 pilots.
 
Dunno, but if thats what he meant it didn't come across as such. Pilots are not renowned for their skill at writing....so w/e. Seemed like a flippant drug comment regardless.
 
I looked into this a little while ago. If you are giving tours within 25 nm you can do it part 91 but you will still need a LOA. There were some accidents a few years ago that got the FAA interested and this was their response. As you mentioned a drug testing program is now one of the requirements to recieve that LOA.

If you are just using a 2 seat aircraft then use your CFI cert to give instruction rather then a senic ride. You bypass alot of the hassles. This of course would not work for many operations but just a thought. Some states do not require sales tax on instruction either.
 
We've been talking about a Part 135 operatir doing tours but...

If you are just using a 2 seat aircraft then use your CFI cert to give instruction rather then a senic ride. You bypass alot of the hassles.
...unless of course, the FAA gets wind of the fact and takes the view that you are really giving tours, not lessons, in which case the hassle will be far, far greater than getting the LOA could ever be.
 
Back
Top