Can I rent a plane to fly from state to state?

Question

I plan on getting a my flying license and provide general sight seeing or private travel (Drop of and/or pick up).

Do I need any security clearance to fly across state lines and do I need to be in a club to use a airport? What fee's do I need to pay and do I need to belong to a club?

Answer 1

There are actually couple ways you can do this. You can go to a formal flight training school and learn to fly, or you can use the FBO (fixed base operator) to learn to fly. The flight school will hold your hand and teach you to fly. The FBO will leave you to your studies and only teach you to fly the airplane. The FBO is cheaper, but you will be responsible for all your own book-work. Learning to fly is only about 20% actual flying. The rest is really boring book study.

Technically, to charge people for a flight, you need to be a commercial pilot. When you rent planes from the flight club, or FBO, you will likely have to sign an agreement that you will not fly the plane for profit. Remember, most FBO's and clubs offer sight seeing tours. So why would they want you doing the same with THEIR planes. In fact, they would get very upset if you did. And it's illegal according to FAA regulations unless you are a commercial pilot. There is a way around this if you want your buddies to fly with you. You can ask them to pay a portion of the cost of the plane rental. But you must also pay a portion.

You may also want to keep in mind that when a pilots license is issued, the certification is granted by the FAA. Airspace in the US is not managed on a state level. It's managed on a Federal level. Therefore, you may fly anywhere in the United States once a pilots license has been granted. In fact, the US training guidelines are recognized internationally, so in theory, you can fly anywhere in the world. Only the aircraft you fly limits the distance you can travel, not the certification a pilot is granted. UNLESS a recreational pilots license is sought and received. In this case, the pilot may not fly any further than 50 miles from his/her home airport, or the place where the pilot departed.

Answer 2

First, you need to get all the way to the commercial pilots license. That involves getting a private license and an instrument rating. That will cost you about $8,000 to $10,000 dollars.  If you want to fly a two engine airplane, add another $3000 for a multi-engine rating.

Provided you make it through all  that (50% of people who begin a private pilots license don't finish), you'd need to get another 1000 hours of flight time or an ATP rating after 1500 total hours (minimum) so that you'd be insurable.

Let me put it simply:  There is so much against you starting out that thinking of doing this as a business is a poor idea. But if you want to learn to fly, go ahead. Go to your local small airport, go for a ride in a small plane. If you like it, take lessons. Then think about doing it for a business.

Good luck!!

Answer 3

When you're certified as a commercial pilot you can do sightseeing within 25 miles.  Private travel requires considerably more, like plenty of insurance and an FAR Part 135 certificate.

No security clearances needed to cross state lines.  You don't need to be in a club to use an airport.  Clubs have an initial entry fee and hourly plane fees.  .