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Compensation for flight time

Asked by: 3787 views , ,
Commercial Pilot, Private Pilot

There is a bit of debate flying around the FBO I'm flying at and the question. Is flying a company plane for free without a commercial license considered compensation if the flight time is logged? I understand how this could be done for a maintenance flight because it is incidental to the business (however I do not believe it is legal if there are available commercial pilots within the company who are available).   Thanks for your help, Kelly

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1 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Aug 26, 2013

    Flight time as compensation has a long history with the FAA. It’s one of a number of no-money forms of “payment” the FAA recognizes, including barter and good will (hopes of later business).

    I can’t comment on a specific situation but, in general, the question is what it the company getting in return? In whatever form, “compensation” is received in exchange for something (what lawyers like to call “quid pro quo”). Your maintenance flight is a good example of that.

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