FAA Legality question

[Alex C]

Hello,

I am new to the forum and joined because I have a specific question. I am the owner of a small business with 6 employees. Can I use my private plane to transport my employees to jobsite locations without a commercial license? Is this only legal if I personally absorb all cost of the flight without reimbursement or taking a tax deduction? I apologize if this is a repeat of similar discussions, but I wasn't sure about my particular situation.

Thank you

 

[Landing Fees]

You can do it. If you want to write it off well you need to talk to somebody else, since you can't pay your self in dollars (if you are not a commercial pilot) you will have to pay yourself in smiles.

 

[Shawn]

Also private pilot with my own company and plane.

As a PPL you can fly your employees to the job site in your own privately owned plane.

If you are flying SOLO (no other soul on board) you can indeed be fully reimbursed for all of the direct costs of that flight as long as the flying is incidental to your business. (rental, fuel, FBO...not hangar, insurance, Mx)

As soon as you have ANY other soul on board (employee or otherwise), the pro rata share rules kick in and you can no longer be fully reimbursed for that flight as a PPL. Even with CPL the rules get murky if you are the pilot and providing the plane you own for transport for which you are being reimbursed.

I fly all the time for my business but do not take any tax deductions directly related to the plane. Too many red flags. I do reimburse myself the direct costs just as I would take milage reimbursements and per diems to get that money pre-tax vs paying for the flight with with post tax money but all of my indirect costs come out of my pocket post tax.