RST Engineering wrote:
Let's cut through the horse****.

I'm a private pilot (no, I'm a commercial pilot, CFI, A&P, IA but let
that go for the moment).

My company sends me to a conference. The company policy pays IRS
mileage (48.5c a mile) for me to get there by private vehicle. Vehicle is
automobile, wagon train, muleback, or any other method I
choose.
The company policy says that I can go by myself or carry as many other
employees as I wish in my private vehicle for the same 48.5 cents a
mile.
I load up Gerry, Kelly, Sam and myself into the airplane and fly to
the conference. I'm not paid to get to the conference, just be a
company employee while I am at the conference.

I get home without incident.

I bill the company for what would have been automobile mileage and
multiply it by 48.5 cents a mile and submit it. Company pays. Case
closed.

Let's modify that some and see if it would still be FAA legal.

Gerry, Kelly and same get the same 48.5c/mile from the company and give it
to you.