Can a Sport Pilot fly to see his family but not fly back to go to work?

N918KT

N918KT

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Just wondering, but regarding sport pilot limitations, is this flight operation considered "in furtherance of business"?

Suppose a sport pilot flies his own LSA up to see his family for the weekend. However he has to fly back on Sunday (of course during the day arriving before nighttime) so he could go back to his home to get ready for work the next day (Monday). Is the return flight considered "in furtherance of business"? Could he technically get stuck at his family's place (or at least not fly back in his LSA) because he is commuting to work except the day before work? Is commuting by your own airplane to work (just like you would commute to work by car or public transportation) considered "in furtherance of business"?
 
Would it be considered "in furtherance of a business" if a sport pilot bought gas from an FBO to get to/from somewhere? Common sense says "no". But, if someone were foolish enough to actually ask the chief council, there is no telling what kind of answer you might get. So, don't ask, don't tell.
 
Please don't ask the FAA


This is why we can't have nice things.


To your question you could have just driven or took a airline, doesn't sound like your flying was instrumental in your business, I'd say you should be good to go
 
Of course you can fly home. What you do Monday morning is none of the FAA's business.

Please don't overthink this. The reg is to stop you from loading up your LSA with inventory and fly off on sales calls.

I have no official status with the FAA but I am sure this is true. -Skip
 
You’re in no way shape or form violating that reg. The flying has no connection to your job. You’re not flying to (or for) work, you’re flying home, so you can then travel via automobile to work the following day. Sounds like a very very very common scenario. Carry on.
 
short answer is yes...you can fly back to go TO work. you're not flying FOR work.
 
:rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2::rolleyes2:

Even if you flew from your family home to the airport where the FBO where you worked was located at just before your shift started on Monday, it would not be considered in furtherance of a business.
 
Your end point in the return flight is your home, so IMO not in furtherance of a business. If you flew directly to an airport near your job, one might consider it “furthering your business”, though IMO again, that’s a stretch also.

Now if you were to go and fly a banner on that commute back home, I would call that furthering a business...
 
To put this in perspective, do you need a commercial driver's license to drive to work?
 
Still trying to figure out how ,flying your plane and going to work,are related.
 
You must immediately quit your job before you fly home. Once you arrive, you petition your former employer to get your job back. They, being of Libertarian bent, hear how you only did this because of the evil FAA, hire you back, promote you to Vice Chairman of the Board (which entitles you to unlimited use of the Corporate Gulstream, including getting an ATP and type rating) and raise your pay to seven figures.

Cheers
 
N918KT said:
Just wondering, but regarding sport pilot limitations, is this flight operation considered "in furtherance of business"?

Suppose a sport pilot flies his own LSA up to see his family for the weekend. However he has to fly back on Sunday (of course during the day arriving before nighttime) so he could go back to his home to get ready for work the next day (Monday). Is the return flight considered "in furtherance of business"? Could he technically get stuck at his family's place (or at least not fly back in his LSA) because he is commuting to work except the day before work? Is commuting by your own airplane to work (just like you would commute to work by car or public transportation) considered "in furtherance of business"?
Click to expand...
You have identified the major flaw in the sport pilot license. You can only legally fly further and further away from where you work.
 
N918KT said:
Just wondering, but regarding sport pilot limitations, is this flight operation considered "in furtherance of business"?

Suppose a sport pilot flies his own LSA up to see his family for the weekend. However he has to fly back on Sunday (of course during the day arriving before nighttime) so he could go back to his home to get ready for work the next day (Monday). Is the return flight considered "in furtherance of business"? Could he technically get stuck at his family's place (or at least not fly back in his LSA) because he is commuting to work except the day before work? Is commuting by your own airplane to work (just like you would commute to work by car or public transportation) considered "in furtherance of business"?
Click to expand...

No! He commuted back home. Took a nap overnight and got up in the morning to go to work, just like any other day.
 
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