Part 91 Charter?

[Eric]

Is there such a thing as charter opportunities that aren't part 135? I keep hearing about frineds who are flying charter that don't meet 135 vfr or ifr minimums. Am I missing something here?

To clarify, they are flying passengers on demand, not dead legs. Sole manipulator.

 

[Rick1128]

Eric, As far as the FAA is concerned there is NO such animal as Part 91 charter. They consider it bootleg charter. If caught your 'friends' are in a great deal of trouble. If they want careers in aviation they need to be careful. It will follow them around for many years. A pilot locally was caught by the FAA recently. She was flying the excess baggage, without a 135 ride in an aircraft not on the operator's certificate. Even that is considered charter. The dust hasn't setled from that one yet.

 

[maverick_fp00]

If somebody owns a plane and you fly it, that's Part 91.. I know plenty of guys that do that.

 

[Snakum]

"If somebody owns a plane and you fly it, that's Part 91.. I know plenty of guys that do that."


What?!

Don Carty owns a buncha airplanes. Are they part 91?

You might wanna pull out that Jeppesen FAR/AIM Captain Maverick. Things may have changed a little.

Minh

 

[C-5 MEM]

I agree with snakum. Is that flying illegal going to be worth it in the long run. Last month a pilot here in Memphis flying passengers around in a local flight school plane was ramped and found out to be flying 134 1/2. Besides the fine, there looking at criminal charges.

 

[Rick1128]

The original question was Pt 91 CHARTER. And I believe that has been answered. It makes no difference if you own the airplane or not, if you operate an aircraft and have people pay for use of the aircraft with pilot for transportation from point A to point B except as provided in the FARs for shared costs and instruction, it is charter. And requires an appropriate operators certificate.

If someone hires you to fly their aircraft under Part 91, it is called 'Pilot Services' and is a legal operation under Part 91. As long as you hold at least a Commercial and Instrument with appropriate class rating.

One thing to be careful of is that sometimes an aircraft owner will hire a pilot to fly his aircraft and then charge someone for use of his aircraft with pilot. That is charter.

These are the diffinitions that the FAA will use to determine if you are legal or not.

 

[maverick_fp00]

There is a couple here in Panama City that own a Navajo. Just about every weekend they go to Shelbyville, TN. They have their own pilot that brings them wherever/whenever they want to go. That's all Part 91 in my book... I'm not trying to be a smarta$$, but if I'm wrong, seriously, let me know.

 

[I.P. Freley]

I built the bulk of my pre-121 ME time in a Chieftain flying Pt 91. A local company owned the airplane and had a contract with my flight school to "operate" the it for them... We kept the airplane in our hangar and fired it up and flew them wherever they wanted to go, more or less on-demand.

If that's not 91 charter, I don't know what is. And... If it's "illegal", there are a couple of dozen former employees of that flight school who are now airline pilots who are in quite a bit of trouble, myself included.

 

[tdvalve]

"If that's not 91 charter, I don't know what is. And... If it's "illegal", there are a couple of dozen former employees of that flight school who are now airline pilots who are in quite a bit of trouble, myself included."

Mr Freley, what you describe are not charter flights. Apparently, the operation was a corporate or private operation and was clearly in accordance with Part 91. To put it simply, operating under Part 91 is much like operating a private or corporate automobile. The vehicle operator needs a valid license plate and the driver needs a valid drivers license. But, if someone is charged for transportation in the automobile, the operator needs a commercial operators permit, commercial insurance, and a commercial license plate. The driver needs a commercial drivers license and must meet all other requirements that might apply to a taxi. There's really not a whole lot of gray area surrounding Part 91 vs 135.

 

[Rick1128]

Thank you Tdvalve for explaining the difference a little more clearly than I managed to do.

Be careful where and how you use the word charter. When the FAA hears about things like that they tend to over react. And who will they hear it from? Most likely your competitors?

While there is no difinition of charter within FAR Parts 1, 119 or 135, it is normally considered by the FAA that a company that holds themselves out for hire to provide common or noncommon carriage is conducting charter flights. Operating an aircraft for an owner, for the owner's personal use, is considered Part 91. No matter who operates the aircraft.