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4 Answers

Commercial pilot privileges

Asked by: 4440 views Commercial Pilot, FAA Regulations

other than being employed and fly for a company, are there other opportunities the commercial pilot have to make money out of this expensive license? a detailed answer with references will be appreciated.  

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4 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Aug 17, 2014

    Unless you have the monetary resources to buy your own aircraft, there would be little chance for you to make money other than being employed by a company.

    There are companies that provide flight instruction, photo flights, sightseeing rides, pipeline/powerline patrol and other services. They will have minimum pilot qualifications that you would need to meet.

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  2. John D Collins on Aug 17, 2014

    You can also fly for another private party or get paid while you are flying yourself and employees on business trips. As a private pilot, you can only share expenses. I am leaving out most of the details for when and under what circumstances you can do this.

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  3. Mark Kolber on Aug 17, 2014

    FAR Part 119 deals generally with the requirement for operating certificates (very different from pilot certificates) for various activities. FAR 119.1(e) describes the various activities a commercial pilot may do for compensation without an operating certificate. Note that some of them are subject to other requirements.

    That’s your basic guide.

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  4. Sam Dawson on Aug 22, 2014

    Parachute operations.
    There are some opportunities out there, but you will never hear them advertised as they are normally word of mouth. Occasionally I will have someone contact inquiring if I have any CSEL pilots I have recently trained. I got one a gig flying a Mooney (eventually moved to bigger equipment with the same family); another a 206; just had an acquaintance contact me looking for someone to fly a PA-46. This is where hanging out at airports and getting a good reputation helps.

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