A holder of a Private Pilot certificate was not, at least in the last 15
years, able to fly for costs. He was always required to share costs
equally, and those costs were always limited to direct operating costs,
which meant either rental costs, or fuel and oil (for an owned airplane).

Fifteen years ago I was on hiatus. Before that, a private pilot could
fly for costs. The old rule made sense to me. The new one does not.

For both the Commercial and Private pilot, it has been held by the FAA that
flight time in and of itself is compensation.

This further drains the sense out of the regs. But this is just my opinion.

If you habitually had customers rent an airplane from the same FBO, one of
your choosing, you would very likely be found to be holding out, engaging in
an illegal Part 135 operation.

Perhaps. But if I did it only occasionally, and the FBO was only an
initial reccomendation (or one of several I'm checked out at), and I was
not taking any more than costs, only the FAA would see that as "holding
out an illegal part 135."

Jose
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