Common instruments on small aircraft

Marty Shapiro wrote:
Inspector's for at least 2 FSDO's that I'm aware of say otherwise.
They were very clear in different Wings safety seminars that providing air
transportation for a friend is NOT permitted for a private pilot. One even
stated that the FAA added the definition of logging time as compensation
for this exact case, where the pilot does not charge at all. They
empasized that unless you were going to make the trip regardless of whether
or not your friend was going along, you would be violating the FARs.

Ok - well maybe I'm wrong. I read an article in AOPA awhile back that
was on the legalities of this very subject that said it illegal *if*
there are shared expenses.

Can anyone point to any official statements or rulings by the FAA?