Private Pilot Limitations/Parents paying?

Question

I know that as a private pilot, I cannot receive compensation( except for certain circumstances) under normal flying, but I am going to school for flying and am home for the summer and my parents want to go flying with me. Can they pay for a flight, do I have to split it, can they give me money to fly with or do I have to earn it somehow(not flying) from them? Could I pick up groceries from the store and they give me $500 for it? Also, my mother wants me to fly her to the beach, could I "earn" the money and then pay for the flight my self and it would be a gift to her?

Answer 1

{Could I pick up groceries from the store and they give me $500 for it? }

Yes, that is the best way to approach it,what he pays you (up to certian limits, which are high) and what you do with the money is no ones business.

Just inform Mom and Dad to keep their mouths zipped.

You would no want them telling Mr busybody "I paid my kid $600 so he could fly us to.... that could be seen as a Commercial operation

.

{my mother wants me to fly her to the beach, could I "earn" the money and then pay for the flight my self and it would be a gift to her?}

Here, I recommend you "earn" half of the money and split cost (equally)as to airplane rental, gas, oil etc as allowed

by the Regs.

And you are not flying your mom to the beach, BOTH of you are GOING to the beach and are splitting cost. Or you can pay for it on your own, splitting the cost is allowed by:

§ 61.113   Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command.

(c) A private pilot may not pay less than the pro rata share of the operating expenses of a flight with passengers, provided the expenses involve only fuel, oil, airport expenditures, or rental fees.

Answer 2

What parents? What money?

Cash talks and leaves no trail, BS walks

Answer 3

They are your parents. They can individually gift you up to $10,000 for any reason per year without it becoming a taxable event. This means they can "give" you money for their own reasons without explanation to anyone. The law is meant to prevent you from charging for fares to the general public. The reasoning is that a part 135 (charter) operator is held to a higher standard of care as far as the equipment required on board, and minimums to flight that can legally fly with passengers on board. You can charge for taking people for a profit but then the rules by which you are governed also become more restrictive. Even simple things like proof of drug and alcohol testing of the crew are mandated under part 135.  Most importantly is the pilot also have additional flight training and passes the certification process.

If you charge someone for a flight under part 91 then it has to be for direct expenses .... fuel, engine hours rented, landing fees, overnight fees, oil consumption, air traffic control user fees (charged in Canada)  and the charge has to be "shared expenses" .... another words  you can't charge them for everything and exclude your own share of incurred costs for the flight.

F A R 91.146

(7) Reimbursement of the operator of the airplane or helicopter is limited to that portion of the passenger payment for the flight that does not exceed the pro rata cost of owning, operating, and maintaining the aircraft for that flight, which may include fuel, oil, airport expenditures, and rental fees;

Answer 4

The intent of the regulation is to prevent Private Pilots from carrying out commercial flying activities - don't get bogged down in can parents or friends help buy the gas for a joy ride.

Parents are free to give their children anything they want.