CO-PILOT???

[ssrdrifter]

Okay, so I am a low time private pilot out of Redlands Ca. I am looking for time in the air. If at all possible I would love to ride right seat on a few flights. I am more than willing to help with the fuel and lunch, just don't expect too much as like all low time pilots money is not something I have a lot of. I am working on my instrument rating at this time. Since I have to fly so many hours, some being X-country I signed up for PNP soon as Ifound out about the cause. I figured, what a great way to put the hours I am going to be flying anyway to good use! Now I would just like to get a mission!

Thanks everyone!
James
ssrdrifter@aol.com
951.786.8675

[Jon]

James,

One huge benefit of the laws relating to charitable donations is if you rent a plane for the purpose of doing a transport the entire rental cost is treated as a charitable donation by the IRS.

You might want to consider that as a great way to build those cross country hours.

[ssrdrifter]

Thats what I was looking into. Can you tell me if a third person wants to donate the cost of me flying here could they write off the cost?

Thanks

[Jon]

That is a question I won't even try to answer. You may even have to addresss the question to the FAA.

The reason the question is one I will not try to address is because the FAA posture on compensation for part 91 pilots is very strict. The FAA clearly does NOT want any part 91 pilots to receive compensation and their interpretation is so strict they constitute treating the deductibility of expenses for a tax deductible or charitable flight as compensation unless the flight was for humanitarian purposes.

We have a letter from the FAA legal counsel allowing a pilot to claim those deductions because PNP transports are considered by the FAA to be humanitarian. Where your question gets into a very gray area is someone else is in effect paying your costs of flying. It may be OK for them to claim those costs as far as the IRS is concerned, but you in essence may be viewed by the FAA as receiving compensation in the form of free flight time. Check with the FAA.

[flyboyshell]

I agree with Jon. This is a very shady area that many pilots think of doing. Also remember the FAA regulations when it comes to building time, most of these flights don't require two pilots, but no harm in having someone as extra set of eyes or even company. These long flights can get kind of boring.

[vbdewd]

you can log time if the pilot flies under the hood and you act as safety pilot under certain circumstances (e.g., pilot uses it for simulated instrument time), and you can log PIC time for that. i know a lot of guys who share hood time/safety pilot time and both get to log time and get simulated instrument time. You and the pilot can share costs one those flights, while both logging time and that is ok. However, I don't think you can get "free" time from some third party donation as that would be deemed to be compensation and verboten for private pilot (until you get your commercial).