(from Peter Duniho)
You keep forgetting the "commercial operation" component of the issue.
Without compensation, there is no holding out as a commercial operation.

Maybe (only maybe) so, but the FAA has rather creative definitions of
"compensation". I would never have considered recording the flight in a
logbook (a history of what actually happened) "compensation", nor does
it seem right that the fact that I can use this experience (which
actually happened) to demonstrate to the FAA that I am worthy of an
advanced rating to be "compensation" either.

(from Jim Macklin)
Any private pilot may offer, on a bulletin board a FREE ride
home. But if you are wanting to share the cost, several
checks are required.
1. The pilot is going anyway, whether anybody else wants to
go.
2. The offer cannot be made as a public offering, but only
to friends.
3. Costs must be shared which means the pilot must pay at
least the pro rata share, your passengers cannot pay all the
costs.

1 and 2 are not enumerated in the FARs. They are made up out of whole
cloth. The FAA can do that and get away with it.

And as for (1), "I am going to fly for three hours =anyway=. Wanna come
with me? I don't care where we go."

Legal? Where in the FARs?

Having made the offer, and having no takers, is it legal to consider the
weather, the condition of the aircraft, and the condition of the pilot,
and decide to not fly?

Jose
--
Money: what you need when you run out of brains.
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