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Questions on Private VS Common carriage

Asked by: 4310 views Commercial Pilot, FAA Regulations, General Aviation, Private Pilot

Having gone through NBAA ppts and legal interpretation on FAA website, it is becoming clear that how FAA defines those two terms on FARs.

Yet, I have a scenario question that I am not sure and I would like to get your advice and comments on this.

Let us say, One of my friend owns the plane and he wants me to fly to different state for his vacation. He plans on coming back in a week. I, hold commercial pilot license with current medical certificate.

So, to my understanding, it will not be illegal unless I do not get compensated for hire for this trip. Conversely it would be illegal to get paid by my friend because the flight is conducted point to point and he was holding out to fly him from point A -> B ?

Will there be any other reason that would make this trip illegal/legal ?

Lastly, I would like to know if you have any credible sources other than I looked up that would help study more in depth about these privileges..

Thanks, and have a wonderful day!

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1 Answers

  1. Best Answer


    Mark Kolber on Jun 19, 2017

    In many ways this is a murky area with a lot of misinformation about \”public\” vs \”private\” carriage, including from the FAA. But I think you are misreading the NBAA monograph. If your friend owns the airplane and hires you to fly him in it, it is not any form of \”carriage.\” Unless you are leaving something out, it is something you are entitled to do with a commercial pilot certificate. It is the equivalent of being hired by a company to fly its corporate jet.

    \”Carriage,\” whether public or private, refers to the transportation of others or their property in an aircraft over which they do not have what the FAA refers to as \”operational control.\” IOW, in your scenario, you have a \”carriage\” problem if the airplane is one you (not he) own, lease, or rent.

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