Private Pilot License Restrictions
The Federal Aviation Administration issues a private pilot license to individuals who complete basic ground school and flying lessons, gather at least 35 or 40 hours of flight time and complete FAA-sanctioned computerized, verbal and flying examinations. A private pilot license gives a person the right to fly to various destinations, carrying passengers and/or property. However, private pilot licenses also come with several restrictions.
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No Flying for Pay
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FAA regulations state that private pilots cannot carry passengers or property in exchange for payment. Additionally, private pilots cannot fly aircraft for business purposes. However, a private pilot can fly to a business meeting or to meet with a company client, as long as the flight is only incidental to the primary purpose of the business. These restrictions exist because the FAA wants only highly trained, experienced commercial or airline transport pilots to carry paying passengers or transport property for hire.
No Free Flights
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A private pilot cannot allow her passengers to pay the costs associated with her flight, because the FAA views this as equivalent to paying the pilot. Instead, a passenger cannot pay less than the "pro-rata share," or his individual portion, of the flight's cost. For example, if a private pilot and two passengers took a flight, each passenger and the pilot could pay no less than one-third of the flight's costs, including fuel, maintenance and aircraft rental, if applicable.
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No Instrument Flight Rules Operations
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A private pilot license gives a person permission to fly an aircraft in good weather conditions under visual flight rules. Unless a private pilot also possesses an instrument flying certificate, he may not fly in weather conditions of less than 1,000 feet or visibility of less than three miles. However, in class "G" airspace or under a special visual flight rules clearance, a private pilot without an instrument rating may operate an aircraft in conditions of only one mile.
Considerations
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Many people who choose to earn private pilot licenses do so only for the purposes of transportation and recreational flying. Those with aviation career aspirations earn private licenses as stepping stones to more advanced FAA certificates, including instrument ratings, commercial and airline transport pilot licenses. These licenses feature fewer restrictions and more privileges, with commercial and airline transport pilot certificates allowing holders to work as professional pilots, carrying passengers and property for financial compensation.
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