Flight instructors as Charter Pilots

Interesting idea, but I think there are serious practical hangups to
it - primarily the VFR restriction.

Most people chartering a plane are doing it for business reasons, and
need to get somewhere at a specific time and date. The VFR only
restriction make it difficult to dispatch (in many areas of the
country). And it probably will take only one flight delay that loses
a deal for the FBO to lose a customer for good.

Also, it could be said that this kind of legislation encourages
scud-running. I could see situations where the departure weather is
VFR, mid-way is MVFR, and destination is borderline IFR.

Per the regulation, the CFI can't do the prudent thing and file
instruments. A paying charter customer with an appointment at the
destination airport is a big incentive to NOT land, which means
scud-running... Not a big deal if you are familiar with the area, but
if not - it is dangerous, particularly in a fast moving plane.

-Nathan




On Thu, 22 Jan 2004 08:35:10 -0800, "C J Campbell"
wrote:

This proposal turned up on AVweb. It was sent to DOT as an idea on how to
make flight instruction a more viable career path by allowing flight
instructors to conduct limited air taxi flights without a part 135
certificate. I have rather mixed feelings about the idea, not least of which
whether it really would provide any economic benefits to career flight
instructors. Anyway, this is the proposal:

"Certified Flight Instructors will be allowed to carry passengers for
compensation or hire on VFR-only flights of up to 300 nautical miles from
the point of origin of the flight, and disembark those paying passengers at
a destination airport other than the original departure airport. A Certified
Flight Instructor must be a citizen of the United States of America, have
logged at least 1,000 hours of Pilot in Command time, must have been a
Certified Flight Instructor for a minimum of two years, must have logged
over 200 hours as a flight instructor in the aircraft category and type, if
required, to be used to carry passengers, and would be limited to flying
paying passengers in an aircraft not to exceed 12,500 pounds in gross weight
and carrying no more than six passengers. The flight instructor to exercise
these rights must possess a valid and current commercial pilot's license
with instrument rating, a current flight instructor's rating, and a current
second-class medical certificate. Possession of the Certified Flight
Instructor's rating and a second-class medical will automatically authorize
a commercial-rated flight instructor to operate the above-referenced,
limited air taxi service as long as he/she remains an active flight
instructor. Eligible persons would be exempted from the Part 135 checkride
requirements for air taxi operations while working as a Certified Flight
Instructor logging a minimum of 10 hours of instructor time every six
months."