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by fnordfnordfnord 3922 days ago
The FAA has a lot of power to wield against private pilots and they don't want to lose it. They don't particularly care how much it stifles General Aviation.

>When you rideshare a single-engine piston plane, there is a question of your life.

And that's pretty obvious. People are adults they can make decisions for themselves.

The only legitimate (IMO) concern that the FAA has in this is that there will be some people who will try to operate their own little mini-illegal charter service. The path of least effort for the FAA is simply to prevent anything that has even the slightest whiff of commerce.
2 comments
tim333 3922 days ago
Which is a shame. In Belize I was able to get a kind of taxi service to an island for like $90, in a single engine plane, which was great fun. Obviously there is some danger but I'd much rather be able to make the choice than have the government ban such things.
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ksherlock 3922 days ago
You can do that in the US, too. But the FAA requires a commercial pilot license (and slightly higher standards for the plane) rather than a private pilot license. Belize, fwiw, also has private pilot and commercial pilot licenses.
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ksherlock 3922 days ago
> The only legitimate (IMO) concern that the FAA has in this is that there will be some people who will try to operate their own little mini-illegal charter service.

You just described flytenow.

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fnordfnordfnord 3922 days ago
Maybe, a little. When I look at Flytenow, I don't get the "we're mis-representing what we're selling" vibe. When I think "fly by night", I mainly think, uninsured.

Charter Flight Service: We have ATP rated pilots who will take you in our aircraft which are inspected and maintained per FAR Part 135 (at least as well as anyone else is); including carrying the right amount of insurance.

Flytenow: A brokering service for some dudes who have their own airplanes and will take you along for a ride if your schedules and destinations intersect, and if you pitch in a few bucks. Also probably has a bit of insurance, though I couldn't begin to imagine how they'd get it.

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ksherlock 3922 days ago
Most likely the plane is a rental. Rental costs can be split but if you own the plane, you cannot split maintenance, insurance, etc.
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