Test Your Knowledge: Sharing Flight Expenses with Passengers

There are many nuances when it comes to sharing flight expenses with friends.

Private and Commercial pilots are permitted to share in the expenses of a flight with passengers. The types of expenses that can be shared are expressly stated in § 61.113(c) which are “fuel, oil, airport expenditures, or rental fees.” If you are to share in these expenses with other passengers, the pilot should not “pay less than the pro rata share of the operating expenses.” The pilot must also have a common purpose with his passengers for traveling to the destination. In other words, the pilot’s motivation cannot simply be flying as a favor or for the purpose of building flight time.

Scenario 1: You work for a real estate development company and are also a Private pilot who owns a Cessna 182 Skylane. Next week, you and a co-worker are traveling to a meeting that will be a two-hour drive. With a nice weather forecast, you decide you are going to fly instead and save a lot of travel time.

Can you expense this flight to your company? Yes, as a Private pilot, you may be reimbursed for this flight as it is incidental to the business. No, but if you shared in the expense of the flight, it would be permitted. No, you would be participating in common carriage which would require a Part 119 Air Carrier certification. Correct! Wrong! Share the quiz to show your results ! Facebook Facebook Just tell us who you are to view your results ! Show my results >> Sharing expenses You got out of 1 right! Share your results : Facebook Facebook Twitter Google+

Scenario 2: You own a Cirrus SR-22 and are planning to fly the airplane to a concert with your spouse. You discover that another couple you know are planning to drive to the same concert. Given that you are close friends, you offer to pick them up in your airplane at an airport closer to where your friends live, and then drop them back off after the concert before flying home. Your friends graciously offer to share in the expense of the entire flight.

Can you share the expenses of this flight with your friends? Yes, you may share the full expenses for all legs of the flight with your friends. No, sharing the expenses would be holding out and considered a charter operation. Yes, but only for the legs of the flight that your passengers were on board. Correct! Wrong! Share the quiz to show your results ! Facebook Facebook Just tell us who you are to view your results ! Show my results >> Sharing expenses Part 2 You got out of 1 right! Share your results : Facebook Facebook Twitter Google+

While you can be compensated to fly as a Commercial pilot, you can only do so under the common law term, private carriage, which is conducted under Part 91. The opposite of private carriage is common carriage which requires a Part 119 authorzation (Air Carrier Certificate) issued under Part 135 for charter operators or Part 121 for airlines.

An operation becomes a common carrier when it holds itself out (another common law term) to the public to fly any person or cargo who desires the service. Advertising is one of the most obvious forms of holding out to the public which can include social media posts, but the FAA has held that even establishing a reputation as one who provides his pilot services to the public is enough to be considered a common carrier requiring an air carrier certificate.

Scenario 3: You’ve just completed your checkride and earned your Commercial pilot certificate. But your checkride ran long and the DPE has another checkride starting soon at a nearby airport. The DPE offers to pay pay for the fuel if you can fly him to the nearby airport. After all, you have some time and he did just issue you your Commercial pilot certificate.

Can you complete this proposed flight? Yes, as a Commercial pilot, you may be compensated for this flight. No, but if you shared in the expense of the flight, it would be permitted. No, you would be participating in common carriage which would require a Part 119 Air Carrier certification. Correct! Wrong! Share the quiz to show your results ! Facebook Facebook Just tell us who you are to view your results ! Show my results >> Commercial Pilot Privileges You got out of 1 right! Share your results : Facebook Facebook Twitter Google+

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Eric Radtke

It was his first airplane trip at age seven that made Eric decide to become a pilot. "While boarding the airplane, a flight attendant noticed my interest in the flight deck and urged me to go talk to the pilot. I give a lot of credit to that pilot for my career choice." He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and went on to an airline career. He learned to fly at Sporty’s as part of the University of Cincinnati’s Professional Pilot Program, an initiative he later directed. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and went on to an airline career. Eric now manages Sporty’s media network including FlightTrainingCentral.com. In addition, Eric serves as a Captain in a Cincinnati-based corporate flight department.

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