On Wed, 22 Sep 2004 16:54:57 -0700, "NW_PILOT"
wrote:


I will call the Sac FSDO in the morning.

Probably the smartest move.

That having been said, I would suggest they'll say something like
this:

61.113 says "(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) through (g) of
this section, no person who holds a private pilot certificate may act
as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or
property for compensation or hire; nor may that person, for
compensation or hire, act as pilot in command of an aircraft."

You're not carrying passengers, and there's nothing stopping someone
from paying 100% of the rental (rather than pro-rating) if both of you
are in the aircraft, which gets you from the west coast to the east
coast.

However, if the pilot who is paying is not in the aircraft, like on
the return leg, yet pays for the rental, they're effectively paying
for you to ferry the aircraft back to the airport of origin, which
would be prohibited.