slowjoe
Pre-Flight
A friend of mine (student pilot) asked me (Private Pilot) the following question, the answer seems to be less than obvious. What do you all think?
You are a Commercial Pilot. However, you do not have an Instrument rating. Per 61.133(b)(1) you have the following limitation on your Commercial Pilot Certificate:
"The carriage of passengers for hire in airplanes on cross-country flights in excess of 50 nautical miles or at night is prohibited."
Most of that is pretty clear: you cannot take paying passengers more than 50nm from the departure airport, and only during daylight VFR conditions. You can, however, do things like fly cargo, ferry airplanes, etc, day or night, cross-country if you want, as long as you're flying VFR.
But here's the odd question - You have been hired to ferry an aircraft to a destination several hours away. A friend (pilot or not, doesn't matter for this situation) asks to fly along with you.
Is that legal? They are not a "passenger for hire", absolutely no compensation from this individual, they just want to go along for the ride. For sake of argument, you're picking up a plane to return home, or there's a car waiting or whatever, but both of you will be able to return at no additional cost or change to the arrangements.
Thoughts?
You are a Commercial Pilot. However, you do not have an Instrument rating. Per 61.133(b)(1) you have the following limitation on your Commercial Pilot Certificate:
"The carriage of passengers for hire in airplanes on cross-country flights in excess of 50 nautical miles or at night is prohibited."
Most of that is pretty clear: you cannot take paying passengers more than 50nm from the departure airport, and only during daylight VFR conditions. You can, however, do things like fly cargo, ferry airplanes, etc, day or night, cross-country if you want, as long as you're flying VFR.
But here's the odd question - You have been hired to ferry an aircraft to a destination several hours away. A friend (pilot or not, doesn't matter for this situation) asks to fly along with you.
Is that legal? They are not a "passenger for hire", absolutely no compensation from this individual, they just want to go along for the ride. For sake of argument, you're picking up a plane to return home, or there's a car waiting or whatever, but both of you will be able to return at no additional cost or change to the arrangements.
Thoughts?