Re:US Court of Appeals Takes on Ridesharing in Aviation
by lisper on Tuesday September 29, 2015 @06:02PM
(#10300083)
This isn't a ruling, it was a hearing that will eventually lead to a ruling.
What this is about is that the FARs prohibit private pilots from flying passengers "for hire" but allow them to "share expenses." There are a number of tests to determine whether a private pilot who takes money from passengers is flying "for hire" or merely "sharing expenses" and one of them is the so-called "holding-out" rule: if you advertise your willingness to take passengers, then you are presumed to be flying for hire and you need (at least) a commercial license. Advertising on Flightshare is considered "holding out" by the FAA.
What this is about is that the FARs prohibit private pilots from flying passengers "for hire" but allow them to "share expenses." There are a number of tests to determine whether a private pilot who takes money from passengers is flying "for hire" or merely "sharing expenses" and one of them is the so-called "holding-out" rule: if you advertise your willingness to take passengers, then you are presumed to be flying for hire and you need (at least) a commercial license. Advertising on Flightshare is considered "holding out" by the FAA.
(I'm a private pilot.)