Fuel Donations

[sky37d]

I notice that many of the charitable flying organizations ask for donations for fuel.

My question is, in reality how does this work. If I'm a private pilot, and I go out and do an angel flight, it's just fuel and expense out of my pocket. I guess if I ever got my commercial I could get some re-imbursement, but as a plain jane PP, I can't.

The FAR'S say I can't get paid to fly someone. I have to pay my pro-rated portion of the expenses, but since none of the people I'm flying are paying anything, how can I accept a fuel donation??

I did fly some folks and supplies, as part of Operation Brothers Keeper, (http://www.operationbrotherskeeper.org )and paid all my own expenses, but just wonder what is this fuel donation money all about.

Thanks

 

[gfvalvo]

I notice that many of the charitable flying organizations ask for donations for fuel.

My question is, in reality how does this work. If I'm a private pilot, and I go out and do an angel flight, it's just fuel and expense out of my pocket. I guess if I ever got my commercial I could get some re-imbursement, but as a plain jane PP, I can't.

The FAR'S say I can't get paid to fly someone. I have to pay my pro-rated portion of the expenses, but since none of the people I'm flying are paying anything, how can I accept a fuel donation??

I did fly some folks and supplies, as part of Operation Brothers Keeper, (http://www.operationbrotherskeeper.org )and paid all my own expenses, but just wonder what is this fuel donation money all about.

Thanks

A commercial license would not be enough. With few exceptions, the operation is required to comply with Part 135 in order to carry passengers/cargo for compensation or hire. From what I've read, the FAA has a very strict view of these rules. How strict? See:

http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pilot/1999/pc9912.html
http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pilot/1992/pc9208.html

As an Angel Flight pilot, I was also curious about this donation-for-fuel stuff. I called one of the AF organizations soliciting fuel donations (on a web page) for its hurricane relief work. Talked to a lawyer-type guy about the Part 135 implications. He assured me that he had it worked out with the FAA. I did not pursue it as I was unavailable to fly any of the missions. However, I would check into it very carefully before accepting either a mission or fuel money.

Greg

 

[sky37d]

I have no problem doing the flying, paying for the fuel, etc, covering all my expenses, but it still comes back to the question.

What do they do with the money they collect?

I can remember reading the Angel Flight website (one of them, there are several) and they talked about needing $2,000,000 to cover the fuel costs for Labor Day weekend. So, please donate, and donate well.

But, I still don't understand it. How can the pilot who is flying get any reimbursement for fuel, if in fact he is just a part 91 guy (or girl) flying their own aircraft. I talked to AOPA, and they pointed me to 61.113, where there is the charitable flight stuff, but the intent, they said, was suppose a church had a raffle, and the winner gets a ride in an airplane. They can then cover your expenses, but within 25 miles of the airport, and a lot of over things, that don't really apply to the kind of flights that Angel Flight or Brothers Keepers does.

Still perplexed.

 

[Metro752]

It's the government.

Big difference between a screw around church raffle and humanitarian relief flights.

 

[sky37d]

So, screw around church raffle things are ok, and humanitarian flights are not.

Ok, so go figure.

Then the question is, what are they doing with the money that gets donated?