On 16 Aug 2005 10:31:32 -0700, "Yossarian"
wrote:

I'm an instrument rated private pilot. My CFI was going to fly with
one of his student pilots to an airport an hour away to go to the
student's vacation home, providing instruction along the way. Then he
would leave the student there for a couple days, and return to pick the
student up.

Now the CFI can't make it and wants to know if I will make the trip
instead. I would pay for half the flight expenses and of course be PIC
for both flights. Is this legal?


Tis a slippery slope.

Think of it this way:
If you are planning on going up to an airport, you hear another pilot
or student wants to go to the same airport, you can offer him a ride
(whether you know him or not) as his going along is incidental to
"your" trip. He can even offer to pay for half the gas.

OTOH if he's looking for a ride up to that airport and mentions it to
you then the very same trip is not legal as his going is the purpose
of the trip.

Back to first case and you *really* were planning the trip and every
thing went as in the first paragraph. Then passenger brags to some
one that you flew him up there and it only cost (what ever half what
ever the gas was) Word gets back to the FAA and you are in deep doggie
do.

When I give people rides, unless I know them very well, I don't even
share the cost of gas. If I give some one a ride to another airport
it's because I had planned on going there and I make sure they and
others around the airport know I had planned on going.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com