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Quals of PIC when taxying without intent to fly?

Asked by: 6658 views FAA Regulations

Do FARs permit a qualified but not-current (BFR lapsed, medical is current) Private Pilot to taxi an aircraft from fuel-pumps (after refuelling at end of flight) to parking-place without having a qualified and current pilot on-board, provided there is no intent to taxi to/from runway?

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1 Answers



  1. John D. Collins on Nov 20, 2012

    Yes. Many mechanics have no pilot certificate and taxi aircraft to and from the run up area to perform maintenance testing and adjustments.

    The relevant regulations that require a pilot certificate are:

    FAR 1.1 definitions:

    Flightcrew member means a pilot, flight engineer, or flight navigator assigned to duty in an aircraft during flight time.

    Flight time means: (1) Pilot time that commences when an aircraft moves under its own power for the purpose of flight and ends when the aircraft comes to rest after landing.

    FAR Sec. 61.3

    Requirement for certificates, ratings, and authorizations.

    [(a) Pilot certificate. No person may serve as a required pilot flight crewmember of a civil aircraft of the United States, unless that person–
    (1) Has a pilot certificate or special purpose pilot authorization issued under this part in that person’s physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization.

    So unless the pilot is a “required pilotcrew member”, they don’t need a Pilot Certificate. Since a pilotcrew member is only assigned to duty during flight time in an aircraft and flight time does not apply if the aircraft is moved under its own power, but not for the purposes of flight, such as fueling and returning it to the tiedown, no pilot certificate is required.

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