Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

4 Answers

Private pilot flying discovery flights and student pilots

Asked by: 1766 views , , , , , , , , , ,
Commercial Pilot, FAA Regulations, Flight Instructor, General Aviation, Private Pilot, Student Pilot

Can a private pilot legally conduct discovery flights for a flight school if approved by the chief flight instructor? Can a private pilot fly with student pilots legally if approved by the chief flight instructor? In both cases, can the private pilot be compensated for the flight in the form of flight hours instead of a payment? Thanks for your help in advance!

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

4 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Jan 18, 2020

    Sounds like compensation to me and requires a commercial pilot certificate and a second class medical. Logging pilot time has long been considered as a form of compensation by FAA General Counsel.

    https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/agc/practice_areas/regulations/interpretations/Data/interps/1997/Harrington%20-%20(1997)%20Legal%20Interpretation.pdf

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. Craig on Jan 18, 2020

    Agree with Mr. Collins. Compensation with flight hours (I assume you mean free flight time) is still compensation. FAR 61.113 is the regulation governing your question along with the legal interpretation cited by Mr. Collins.

    According to 61.113(c), I think it would still be legal to cut your costs by splitting the costs with passengers, even if the passengers are from the flight school. However, you’d have to pay your equal share of the cost of the flight and NOT be compensated by the school in any way (including free flight time). For example, if it’s a 2 hour flight, you’re the pilot, there are 3 passengers and the total cost of the flight was $200, then you would need to pay your equal share of $50 ($200/4=$50), but you’d still get to log 2 hours of flight time for only paying $50. I think it would be the same as if you and your buddies decided to split the cost of a flight equally where you were the only pilot.

    There are very limited scenarios under 61.113 that allow a private pilot to be compensated, none of which appear to apply to the scenarios you described.

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

    (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) through (h) of this section, no person who holds a private pilot certificate may act as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire; nor may that person, for compensation or hire, act as pilot in command of an aircraft.

    (b) A private pilot may, for compensation or hire, act as pilot in command of an aircraft in connection with any business or employment if:

    (1) The flight is only incidental to that business or employment; and

    (2) The aircraft does not carry passengers or property for compensation or hire.

    (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.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  3. Craig on Jan 18, 2020

    flightbug,

    I remember you posted a somewhat similar question that was titled “Instructor Pressure”. You received several responses warning you of that chief flight instructor. I hope you are heeding the warnings and advice and do NOT get yourself trouble.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  4. Tom on Feb 13, 2020

    Last I knew is a discovery flight had to be an instructional flight, which requires a CFI. Otherwise it is a 135 op taking a passenger for a ride in a plane.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.